The Values of Trust and Happiness
by Nanaki Lioness
Summary: AU SasuNaru. It's amazing how much your life can change with a chance meeting, even if you don't realise yet that it will. Sasuke centric, emotional relationship fic. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The characters, items, places etc of Naruto are property of Masashi Kishimoto. These objects are used without permission for entertainment only, not for making money. No infringement is intended.

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**Slightly revised 17****th**** October in anticipation of the sequel. I have tweaked Itachi's character a little, and made the occasional edit of description here and there. Nothing major at all, just some things that were annoying me :) This was one of my first ventures writing Itachi and I was no longer happy with it.**

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_SasuNaru- this is the __**homosexual pairing of Naruto and Sasuke.**__ Don't like, don't read! Also, here's an additional warning for __**swearing**_**, **_**sexual situations **__(eventually) and __**some angst. **__This fic is also __**Sasuke-centric**__, and deals more with __**emotional relationships**__, though there is some physical as well._

_Sakura is in this fic, and I want to make something clear. __I like Sakura. I won't be bashing her, or making her a bitch, or anything of the like. If you have a problem with Sakura or her attraction to Naruto for a small part of this, then by all means- press the back button._

_I always base my AU fics in Japan, since the manga/show is Japanese, but for once, I'm not going to. This fic is set in England, my home country- London, more specifically. I don't actually live in London, so some of my details may be a little out. I'm recounting what I can from memory- I used to visit 2-3 times a week._

**The Values of Trust and Happiness**

By Nanaki Lioness

**1.**

"Sasuke? Where am I?"

"The train station, Sakura."

"Hmm. Are you _sure_?"

"…No."

Passer-bys sidestepped, casting slightly concerned glances to the young pair as they walked- or was that stumbled?- across the train station. It was late on Friday night, and the two had had plenty to drink to celebrate the coming of the weekend.

The problem was attempting to maneuver themselves back home safely, however. Sakura was certain Sasuke wouldn't have anything to drink as he usually didn't, and would act as her chaperone. She'd been sorely mistaken though, as he'd decided he was going to join her in having a few drinks.

A few drinks at a local bar had led to a few more drinks at another bar, and then another bar, and finally a nightclub. If Sakura hadn't been so intoxicated, she'd have made a comment about the fact Sasuke willingly danced with her on the dance floor. However, since she could barely stand up, let alone focus, so it had gone unsaid.

Sakura stumbled and almost went flying, her feet unable to comprehend walking in the black heels she was currently wearing. She regained her balance by grabbing Sasuke's arm, almost dragging him down with her.

"Shall we sit down?" Sasuke suggested.

"That would be good."

Sakura fell to a sit on the floor unceremoniously by the wall, Sasuke shrugging and sinking down next to her.

"What time is my train?"

Sasuke shrugged. "No idea."

"Shall we sit here and wait for it?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Sakura leant against Sasuke's shoulder, yawning slightly. Sasuke tried to nudge her off, but apparently didn't have the energy to.

"Can't sleep here," he pointed out.

"Why not?"

"Because you can't."

"But I'm _tired_," Sakura complained, shifting so she was more comfortable and leaning back against Sasuke's arm. "Just a little won't hurt will it?"

Sasuke relented, but only because he, too, was tired and didn't want to fight about it. Alcohol always made him drowsy, and it seemed it did for Sakura, too, though it could have just been the effects of still being up at two am.

"Alright. Just a little."

-.-.-

Sakura awoke slowly, her mind foggy and head pounding. She groaned when she realised she was lying on the cold floor of the train station, opening her eyes and shielding them from the blinding white lights all around her.

Her eyes settled on a form of a person in front of her, and she frowned. Blinking a few times to focus, she realised with a start that the person was leaning over her and had his hands on her pink skirt.

She screamed and sat up, startling Sasuke next to her awake. He glanced over at her, eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Pervert!" Sakura accused, pointing a finger at the figure, who had fallen over backwards in fright at Sakura's scream.

"No!" The person said, rapidly shaking his head. "Listen, lady, I-"

Whatever he was going to say was cut off by Sakura punching at him sharply. He dodged at the last second, eyes wide.

"Hey, listen to me, lady! Your skirt was up and I was pulling it down for you!"

Sakura stopped mid-swing of her second punch, cheeks suddenly reddening. "It was?"

"Yes," the guy confirmed, his own cheeks slightly red. "You were lying on the floor with your legs wide open and your skirt right up. You looked pretty comfortable and everything, but I couldn't let you just lie there showing your pretty pink panties off the world."

Sakura blushed harder, and Sasuke smirked slightly at her misfortune.

"Do you own any items of clothing that aren't pink?" He teased, poking her side.

Sakura glared at him, rolling up her sleeve and preparing to punch him, too.

"Uh, I'll just be going, then…" The confused guy said, looking between the two and feeling even more out of place.

"I'm sorry for punching at you," Sakura apologised to him, forgetting Sasuke for the moment. "I just got startled."

"No problem, I can imagine it was a shock."

"How about you give me your name and number, and I'll forget all about it?" Sakura cooed, now fully awake, mostly sober, and realising the blond in front of her was damned _cute_.

"I don't have a phone," he replied, looking awkward and scratching the back of his neck.

Sakura was taken aback. In the technological age they lived in, she was confused at the thought anyone around their age would _not_ own a mobile phone.

"You don't own a mobile, you mean? How about a home phone, then?"

"I don't have one of those either."

Sakura looked even more confused. "Seriously?"

"I'm homeless, lady."

Sakura immediately looked guilty, shaking her head at him. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you… What's your name?"

"Naruto," the guy shrugged in response. "And no harm done, don't worry. Now, hadn't you guys better be getting your train? The last trains are leaving around now."

"What's the time?" Sakura asked, panicked and dragging herself to her feet.

"Nearly four am."

"You missed the last train, then," Sasuke spoke up with a sigh to Sakura, pulling himself to his feet as well.

"It's not so bad here," Naruto responded. "It's pretty warm and the coffee stores open around five if it _does_ get cold."

"You have the money for coffee?" Sakura asked thoughtlessly, before realising her mistake as Sasuke poked her in the ribs sharply.

Naruto sighed heavily. "It's okay dark-haired guy, I'm not easily offended- you didn't have to poke her. Sometimes I have the money, sometimes I don't. It's just one of those things."

Sakura looked like she wanted to ask details, but bit her tongue and rubbed her side instead. That poke had _hurt_, damn it.

"So you live here?" She asked instead, holding a hand to her ribs still in case Sasuke decided to poke her again.

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah. Sometimes they ask me to leave, but I come back eventually. London's a pretty vicious place after about two am, and this is one of the safer spots to be."

"Don't you have any relatives you could stay with?"

"My parents are dead and my other family disowned me," Naruto replied simply, as though he were stating the time or the weather.

"Oh," Sakura replied dumbly, not wanting to ask for any further details for fear of offending the blond. In return, he did not give any.

"Are you originally from London?" Sasuke asked, joining the conversation for the first time and nullifying the awkward silence that had formed around them.

"Yeah," Naruto replied. "I was born in Greenwich. Lived there with my parents until they, you know, and I had to move in with friends in outer London. You guys live here?"

"Yes- in Kensington," Sakura answered, a hint of pride in her voice. "I was born there, and I've been there ever since."

"Kensington's _expensive_," Naruto whistled. "Lucky girl. How about you?"

His gaze fell on Sasuke, who looked slightly awkward. "Mayfair."

Naruto stared at him as though he had grown a second head, but when he opened his mouth to comment, it wasn't what either of them expected.

"Mayfair? You're hardly stranded- you guys could walk there from here!"

"I can't walk that far in these shoes," Sakura replied, reaching down and prying one of the heels off her feet, grabbing Sasuke's arm for balance.

"Then why did you wear them out?" Sasuke sighed at her.

"Because they're _pretty_," Sakura retorted, glaring at him as she painfully put the shoe back on.

"You guys are a couple, then?" Naruto asked, looking between them, taking their behaviour towards each other as an indication that they were involved.

Sakura laughed and Sasuke looked slightly awkward, pushing his hands into his pockets and muttering something.

"Brother and sister?" Naruto tried again.

"No, we're just friends," Sakura decided to fill in, finally. "We've known each other since we were kids."

"Take your shoes off and we'll walk to my place," Sasuke told the pink haired girl after a moment. "I'd like to get some decent sleep, and that isn't going to happen if we stay here."

"Nice meeting you guys," Naruto waved, stepping away from them, seeing that as his cue to leave. "Have a safe journey home, won't you?"

He began to walk away, leaving Sakura to turn back to Sasuke, a frown on her face.

"You're going to let him walk away?" She hissed.

Sasuke looked at her, confused. "What?"

"Invite him _back_," Sakura hissed again.

"Why? Because you think he's cute? You know the rule, Sakura, ask permission before you bring people to my-"

"No!" Sakura interrupted. "Because he's homeless you dolt! Take him home, give him a good meal and a roof over his head for a night!"

Before Sasuke could protest further, Sakura was rushing after Naruto as fast as she could on her high heels, calling for him to stop. Sasuke sighed, shaking his head as he watched her. It seemed he wasn't going to get much of a say in this turn of events.

-.-.-

"I don't usually take charity beyond accepting people's spare change," Naruto said as they walked slowly from Victoria station. "But Sakura promised me she's a good cook, so how could I refuse?"

"It's nothing!" Sakura laughed, grabbing Sasuke's arm as she almost fell on a crack in the pavement.

"Take the shoes _off_, Sakura," Sasuke told her. "Or we'll be headed to the hospital to treat your broken neck."

"I'm not walking barefoot!" Sakura protested. "Who knows what I'll stand on?"

"Pavement," Sasuke told her dryly. "God forbid you stand on _pavement_."

"Stop being sarcastic with me," she told him, slapping his arm, but slipping her shoes off regardless. "If I stand on any needles or glass, I'm blaming you."

"So how did you end up living in Mayfair?" Naruto interjected quickly. "I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you're pretty young, and that's quite a high market area."

"My parents," Sasuke said, his tone of voice suggesting that was all the explanation he needed to give.

"You live with them?"

"No," Sasuke replied curtly, still choosing not to elaborate.

"They're the type of parents who think throwing money at a problem will make it go away," Sakura supplied after an uneasy moment. "Not that I'm suggesting they think Sasuke is a _problem_ or anything," she continued hurriedly, realising how offensive her words may have sounded.

"No, it's true," Sasuke responded with a shrug. "Besides, their plan failed, since my mother keeps re-filling my bank account when she thinks my father isn't looking."

"I wish my parents would do that," Sakura lamented. "I _hate_ my job."

"I know you do," Sasuke sighed. "You mention it all the time."

"That's because it's horrible!" Sakura protested.

"What do you do?" Naruto inquired, curious.

"I work at a woman's clothes store," Sakura told him. "I thought it would be great- you know, latest fashions and all that. But no, I have to trail around after people who clearly want me to leave them alone bleating 'are you alright, madam?', 'I'll check if we have it in your size, madam', 'no, I won't baby-sit your child while you try clothes on, madam'."

She shrugged, her rant appearing to have calmed her down slightly. "But I _do_ get killer store discount. I guess I can't complain _too_ much."

"What would you rather be doing?" Naruto asked, stopping abruptly as he realised both his companions had done so. Sasuke had a key in his hand and beckoned them forward with a nod of his head, heading up the small flight of stairs to the communal door of a converted house.

"_Designing_ clothes," Sakura replied with a wistful sigh, following Sasuke up the stairs. "I could design pretty shoes that didn't kill people's feet when they went out, for a start."

She shook the shoes she was carrying by the straps ruthlessly, looking as though she was resisting the urge to throw them over her shoulder.

"Stop complaining and get in," Sasuke sighed at her, standing aside so she could pass through the door. Naruto did the same, looking slightly nervous.

They walked up a small flight of stairs quietly, aware of the time and not wanting to disturb the other residents. Sakura muttered something under her breath about her feet, causing Sasuke to roll his eyes as he led them to his front door.

Once they were inside the flat, Sakura threw the shoes to one side and sunk to the floor, holding one foot up and looking rather sorry for herself.

"I think I trod on some glass," she whined.

"Are you bleeding?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, _no_, but-"

"Then stop complaining, you'll be fine."

Sakura glared at him, picking herself up from the floor and following Sasuke into his lounge. She beckoned Naruto with her hand, smiling. He followed her into the spacious lounge wordlessly, glancing around and looking as though he was trying not to touch anything for fear of tainting it.

"I guess you're hungry," Sakura said rhetorically, but Naruto nodded in response anyway. "I'll make you some food. You can take a shower if you want."

"Ah- sure," Naruto stuttered, still looking around the room in amazement.

"I'll show you round," Sakura told him, smiling and brushing her fingers up his arm as she walked past him back out into the hall.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the action, and her words. Sakura didn't notice, too busy dragging Naruto out into the hallway. It seemed her foot complaint was forgotten, too.

Once Naruto was safely in the shower, Sakura waltzed into the kitchen with a huge smile on her face. Sasuke was waiting, sitting at the table in the room with a glass of water in hand.

"He's cute," she said, a sheepish smile on her face.

"I hadn't noticed you draping yourself over him," Sasuke responded dryly.

"I brushed his arm, that's hardly _draping_."

"He's been living on the streets, Sakura. Your parents will be so _thrilled_ that you 'ditched me' in favour of him."

"Who cares that he's been on the streets?" Sakura asked, opening up Sasuke's fridge and poking around in it.

"I just told you- your parents will._ I_ don't care what you do and who you do it with."

"You're almost as over protective as they are," Sakura scolded, coming out of the fridge empty-handed. "And besides, it's probably about time we came clean with our parents about us. I can't cover for you forever."

"I'm not asking you to," Sasuke replied, putting his empty glass down.

"I'd hate to be in your position. My parents may be overprotective, but they at least accept me for who I am."

"Are you trying to pick a fight?" Sasuke snapped at her, causing her to glare at him. He was fiercely protective of his family, even if he spent most of his time complaining about them.

"What? It's true, you say it yourself! Besides, you don't _know_ that they'd reject you."

"It's likely. My brother told them he wasn't interested in studying medicine at university and my dad practically forced him to enroll for it anyway. Having a gay son doesn't fit into their ideal family."

"But they shipped you off to London instead of forcing you to go to university for the same thing," Sakura pointed out. "That's better than what they did to Itachi."

"I suppose."

They lapsed into silence, listening to the morning chorus of the birds outside. Light was beginning to flit through the kitchen window, announcing the arrival of morning.

"Another all nighter," Sakura sighed, standing up and busying herself in Sasuke's cupboards again. "And I don't see us getting to bed anytime soon."

"So what are you planning on cooking?" Sasuke asked, yawning and laying his arms on the table to rest his head in them.

"I don't know. What do you have?"

"I have no idea since you usually come by and cook most evenings. _And_ you do the shopping."

"You're the only person my parents don't mind me staying with," Sakura replied. "They keep telling me to keep myself 'presentable' for you, and mum's been dropping the 'hasn't he asked you to marry him yet?' hints."

"She has?" Sasuke asked, looking up at her, startled.

"It's been nearly five years since we started 'going out'," Sakura supplied. "And we're twenty two. That's practically committed to marriage, kids and a lifelong happy partnership in mum's book. You're a _suitable_ partner, apparently. 'We've known Sasuke all his life and so have you, and Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha are just _lovely-_'"

"And they have money?" Sasuke ended for her.

"Yes," Sakura agreed, looking slightly embarrassed on her parents' behalf. "That's about right. You know, you have _no_ food here, Sasuke."

Sasuke smiled slightly at her attempt at changing the subject.

"So how's your love life?"

"Huh?" Sasuke asked, frowning. Apparently she was changing the subject again, and he hadn't been expecting it.

Sakura sat opposite him, a gleam in her eye. "Come on, I want the gossip. Last I heard you were dating that really cute brunette. What happened to him?"

Sasuke shrugged. "It just fizzled out."

"It always does with you."

"I haven't found anyone I really like yet."

"Well, don't go stealing Naruto," Sakura told him, winking at him. "I have my eye on him."

Sasuke grimaced slightly. "I don't go for blonds. You're welcome to him."

Sakura closed the cupboard she was browsing through, sighing in defeat. "Alright, you _really _have nothing to eat, Sasuke."

"I'm sure I can find a takeout number," Sasuke told her with a sigh, exiting the room to search the stack of menus by his phone.

As he walked out into the hallway, he nearly bumped into Naruto, who was seemingly hiding around the corner. Sasuke soon realised why- he was looking slightly embarrassed at only the towel around his waist.

"I couldn't find any bigger towels," Naruto said sheepishly, confirming Sasuke's thoughts.

Sasuke shrugged at him, hearing Sakura come up behind him to add her input about takeout. She took one look at Naruto and giggled, cheeks slightly flushed at the blond's naked, exposed torso.

"I would cook for you, but Sasuke's kitchen is rather empty," she spoke after a moment, her voice controlled. "We're going to get takeout instead. Sasuke's going to call them, aren't you Sasuke?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to retaliate that she should do it, but noticed the glare she was giving him that screamed 'leave me alone with him', so he sighed and headed into the living room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Sakura grinned, turning to Naruto and giving him a seductive smile. Naruto attempted to cover his chest with one arm, looking exposed.

"Don't cover up," Sakura told him, leading him back to the kitchen. "You're attractive, Naruto."

"You've known me five minutes and you're coming on to me," Naruto responded, looking bemused as he re-entered the reasonably sized kitchen, declining an invite from Sakura to join her at the table.

"If I'd seen you at a club, I'd be doing the same," Sakura responded with a shrug. "It just so happens you're here in front of me and semi-naked, so I got a head start."

Naruto smiled slightly at that, folding his arms across his chest. "I see."

"One date?" Sakura suggested, giving him a smile. "Just one? I'll pay, don't worry about that."

"I wouldn't have anything nice to wear," Naruto replied.

"I can handle that, too."

"Sakura, I said I don't take charity-"

"I'd _like_ to," Sakura insisted. "You seem like a nice guy, you're attractive, and I'd love to go on a date with you."

Naruto still didn't look convinced- he looked slightly troubled, even.

"What? You have a girlfriend?" Sakura asked, noticing his look.

"No, I don't. Who'd want to date a homeless guy?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow at him. "Didn't I _just_ ask you out?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

Naruto trailed off, unable to continue the sentence.

"So, is it settled?" Sakura pushed, giving him another seductive smile. "If it goes well, I could probably convince Sasuke to let you live here. I've known him since before either of us could _walk_. He's a really nice guy, and I know he wouldn't have a problem with it."

"_I_ would have a problem with it," Naruto responded firmly, shaking his head. "I got myself into this mess, and I'm not going to let someone _else_ pull me out of it."

"Do you mind me asking how?" Sakura asked gently.

Naruto shrugged, looking even more awkward. "I don't want to talk about it."

Sakura didn't push it, looking round as the kitchen door opened again, admitting Sasuke.

"Pizza should be here in about thirty minutes," he told them, leaning on the doorframe. "And I'm exhausted, so I'm going to bed."

"Want us to leave you any?" Sakura asked, sitting at the table again.

Sasuke shrugged. "Not really. Naruto, come with me, I'll get you some clothes."

Naruto followed him out of the kitchen awkwardly, covering his chest again.

"You can stay here tonight," Sasuke told Naruto, breaking the silence as they headed to Sasuke's bedroom. "I wouldn't be happy with myself sending you out onto the streets again tonight."

"Well- thanks," Naruto said quietly.

"That doesn't mean I trust you."

"I don't expect you to. You don't know me."

They walked in silence, Sasuke pushing open his bedroom door and indicating Naruto to follow him inside.

"By the way- ignore Sakura if she tries to come on to you," he warned. "She does that. She's like a dog in heat."

Naruto tried to smother his laughter at that. "She already did."

"She did?" Sasuke echoed. "I'll have her spayed, I swear."

"It's alright," Naruto told him, still chuckling slightly. "She just wanted one date, that's all."

"She's lonely," Sasuke answered bluntly. "Her parents think she and I are dating, and she's been longing for a _real_ relationship. She won't though, because she's too kind."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, hovering nervously beside Sasuke as he opened a large wardrobe and started searching through it.

"She won't date anyone seriously because if she does, she has to tell her parents she and I aren't 'involved' anymore," Sasuke explained. "And if she does that, it gets back to my parents since her family and mine are friends, and that gets me in trouble."

"You'd get in trouble for not being with Sakura?" Naruto asked, confused, holding out his arms as Sasuke threw some clothes in his direction.

"Sort of," Sasuke replied, but didn't elaborate any further. He closed the door, gesturing to the clothes in Naruto's arms. "Will those be alright?"

"Oh- yeah, anything's fine," Naruto replied, looking slightly sheepish. "If I could borrow your washing machine for mine, I'd be able to give them back-"

"Keep them," Sasuke interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "And don't give me that 'I don't take charity' stuff you mentioned earlier, I'm not going to miss an outfit from my wardrobe, _trust_ me."

Naruto smiled at that, nodding his approval at Sasuke. "Well- thanks, Sasuke."

With that, he pulled the door closed behind him without another word, leaving Sasuke to watch the space where he had just been thoughtfully.

-.-.-

_Author's Note: I'm back! Real life has been… Well, I'm going into details here, but let's just say it's been particularly unpleasant to me. So I sat down and threw myself into writing._

_I've written quite a bit further in this, but I'm doing so much editing to the later parts I'm not going to post what I have until I'm happy I won't need to come back half a day later and make edits to the earlier parts as I keep doing XD I will edit frequently though, so updates won't be far apart for the first few chapters (and hopefully not beyond there!)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Just a quick note- I tend not to rush my SasuNaru ;) I've found myself concentrating more on that dreaded thing called plot than just throwing them together XD_

**2.**

"What did he say about me?" Sakura demanded to know when Naruto re-appeared in the kitchen, fully clothed. "I know he did. He always does."

Naruto grinned at her, sitting down at the table. The pizza Sasuke had ordered was sitting upon it, indicating it had arrived during in his absence.

"Well?" Sakura demanded again, folding her arms across the table.

"He warned me you'd come on to me," Naruto said eventually, seeing Sakura clearly wanted an answer.

Sakura scowled slightly. "Is that all?"

Naruto looked slightly sheepish, deciding to change the subject. "When shall we have that date, then?"

Sakura brightened immediately. "So you're agreeing?"

Naruto shrugged. "Why not? Should be fun."

"Did Sasuke complain about it?"

"Huh? No- not at all."

"He didn't?" Sakura said, her voice soft. "That's… That's nice. I didn't expect that."

She picked up a slice of pizza, looking contemplative, and gesturing at Naruto to do the same.

"I don't know either of you so I can't say for sure, but he seems to care for you," Naruto responded, taking Sakura up on her wordless offering. "He wants you to be happy, I can see that much."

"My happiness at the expense of his own," Sakura sighed sadly.

"What's the deal with that?" Naruto asked. "If you don't mind me asking..."

"It's not really for me to say," Sakura replied, looking uncomfortable. "Regardless, if I tell my parents 'I ditched Sasuke', they'll kill me. And if I say 'Sasuke ditched me', his parents would kill him. We can't win."

They ate in silence, Sakura closing the box when there was two slices left and putting it in the fridge.

"I know he said not to save any, and he won't eat it, but I have to," she explained. "He _did_ pay, after all."

The shrill ringing of a mobile phone interrupted them, Sakura looking apologetic and pulling her small, pink mobile from her pocket.

"Hi Dad," she answered, sounding bright and cheerful, but her face showing differently. "No, I'm fine, I missed the train home so I went back to Sasuke's. No, I can stay here, don't worry about it. Really, its fine, you don't need to collect me. You didn't need to stay up- I'm a big girl now, Dad. Look, I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."

She hung up, sighing and re-pocketing her phone. "Always checking up on me," she sighed apologetically.

"Don't complain about it," Naruto said quietly. "You'll miss it when it's not there anymore."

Sakura looked sobered at that thought, giving Naruto a sad smile and leading him out the kitchen.

"I'll show you to Sasuke's spare room," she told him.

"What about you?"

"I'll sleep on the sofa."

Naruto stopped walking, shaking his head. "What kind of man would take a bed from a lady? You take the spare room, and I'll take the sofa."

Sakura turned around, smiling slightly. "How polite! Thank you, Naruto. Do you remember where the living room is?"

"Yeah, I do. Good night, Sakura."

Sakura smiled at his back as he headed away, cheeks flushed slightly red. "Good night, Naruto."

-.-.-

Sasuke awoke the following morning, turning over to view the clock on his bedside table, only to be told it was actually early afternoon. He clambered out of bed, sighing and pulling his dressing gown off the back of the door and heading to the kitchen for breakfast.

As he passed the living room door, he stopped, doing a double take before his brain caught up with itself and remembered his meeting the night before.

Naruto was fast asleep, curled up on the sofa, his blond hair spayed out across the cream leather. Sasuke admired him for a moment before shaking his head and carrying on. Blonds weren't his type, and anyone Sakura had her eye on was _definitely_ off the list, anyway.

"Hey," he called quietly. "Naruto."

Naruto bolted awake, sitting upright and glancing up at Sasuke with bleary eyes.

"I didn't yell, did I?" Sasuke asked, confused.

"Oh- no," Naruto answered, his voice slightly scratchy from sleep. "I sleep lightly. I get moved on a lot."

"Ah," Sasuke replied, feeling awkward. "Well, come and get some breakfast."

"Sure."

Sasuke left him alone to make his own way, opening the cupboard and grabbing whatever box of cereal came to hand first. Setting it down on the table, he grabbed a bowl from the draining board and opened the fridge as Naruto entered.

"Sakura left me some pizza, didn't she?" He asked, amused, noticing the box on the middle shelf.

"Yeah."

Sasuke sighed, grabbing the milk he had been after and closing the fridge. "Typical."

He took another bowl out the cupboard and handed it to Naruto, sitting down and gesturing for the blond to join him.

"Sleep well?" He asked politely.

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah. First uninterrupted sleep I've had in a while, so thanks for that."

Sasuke gave him an awkward smile and poured some cereal, handing the box to Naruto when he was done. Naruto took it, but refused the milk when offered to him.

"I hate milk," he explained.

"So you're going to have dry cereal?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. It's actually pretty good."

Sasuke didn't protest- he hadn't been up long enough to discuss whether Special K was nice without milk or not.

"I'll get out of your hair after this," Naruto told him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Did you arrange a time and a place for that date with Sakura?"

"Ah- no, not yet," Naruto realised, frowning slightly. "I'll leave when I've had the chance to chat to her, then."

"You can chat with me now."

Both of them looked up in the kitchen doorway to see Sakura leaning on the doorframe, her hair in disarray and mascara tracked down her face.

"Have you been crying, or did you just forget to wash your make-up off?" Sasuke asked with a sigh.

"You don't have any make-up remover," Sakura snapped crossly, folding her arms. "And it's waterproof so I _couldn't_ take it off."

"I wonder _why_ I don't have make-up remover," Sasuke responded sarcastically. "Oh wait- because I'm a _guy_."

"You _should_ have some. Are you eating my Special K, too?"

"Forgive me for eating the cereal in my own home."

"I bought that for me!" Sakura complained, throwing herself down in one of the two vacant chairs around the table they were sitting around.

"And put it in my cupboard."

"Well, _yes_, since I end up here a lot at weekends."

She glanced over at Naruto, who had stopped eating his cereal and looking sheepish.

"No milk?" She queried, dropping the argument about whose cereal it was instantly to help him feel more comfortable.

"I hate the stuff."

"There's probably some soya milk around somewhere, I don't always drink milk either," Sakura said matter-of-factly, getting up and hunting in Sasuke's cupboard.

"Is there?" Sasuke asked. "I don't even know what's in my own damn cupboards these days."

"Its fine," Naruto told Sakura, prompting that she sit down. "I quite like it dry, actually."

Sakura didn't look convinced, but sat down regardless.

"So, where do you want to go for our date?" She asked, brightening up a bit at the thought of it.

Naruto shrugged. "I don't mind."

"You don't have any favourite places?"

"Honestly- why would I?" Naruto responded, looking uncomfortable. "It's not like I get to go to nice places regularly."

"Ah, yeah," Sakura replied, biting her lip slightly and looking uncomfortable as well. "Well, how about I chose?"

"Sure. I trust your judgment."

Sakura looked deep in thought, until Sasuke spoke up.

"Do you like Japanese food?"

Naruto thought about that for a moment, before looking a little embarrassed. "Isn't that just like Chinese food?"

Sakura laughed slightly. "Shush, you'll offend Sasuke. His family is from Japan originally."

"Its fine," Sasuke waved a hand at him. "I'm not insulted. I am, however, convinced that Sakura needs to take you to my suggestion restaurant of Wagamama. If you don't know the difference between Chinese and Japanese food, I'm hoping that place will help you."

"That's a good idea!" Sakura agreed, nodding. "Alright, it's decided. I'll meet you at Wagamama in Leicester Square at midday tomorrow. Sound good?"

Naruto nodded, finishing his cereal and standing up. "It does- thanks, Sakura."

He turned to Sasuke, holding out a hand to him. "Thank you for letting me stay, and for your hospitality, Sasuke."

Sasuke shook the hand, but declined to comment. Naruto held a hand out to Sakura as well, smiling as she shyly took it. "And I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura."

Sakura giggled slightly, cheeks reddening. "Of course! Bye, Naruto."

Naruto smiled at them both, and left the room, shaking a hand at Sasuke to indicate he could let himself out when he stood to do so.

Sasuke sat back down, hearing the front door click closed in the distance. Sakura looked up at him, a silly smile on her face.

"He's so _nice_," she said wistfully. "I wonder why he's on the streets."

"Maybe he'll tell you tomorrow," Sasuke declared.

"I hate the thought that he's not going to have anywhere to sleep tonight," Sakura continued, as though Sasuke hadn't spoken.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Sasuke told her, picking up his empty bowl and reaching across for the bowl Naruto had left. "He's been doing it a while, it seems."

"I wonder if my parents would let him move in," Sakura said, standing up as well. "If I said he was someone I'd known ages or something."

"'Someone you've known ages' instead of some guy you literally picked up off the street?"

Sakura scowled. "You don't have to put it like _that_."

"What? The truth?"

Sakura scowled at him harder. "Shut up, Sasuke."

-.-.-

"This one?"

"Whatever you want."

"Hw about this one?"

"I said whatever you want."

Sasuke folded his arms and glared at Sakura as she pulled yet another dress off the rack, looking at it closely. Her date with Naruto indicated she _absolutely_ needed a new outfit to wear. She'd shot off home and sweet-talked her father, telling her that Sasuke was taking her to a restaurant and she _needed_ some more money. Her father had smiled, slipped her his debit card, told her the pin, and reminded her to 'be sensible'.

The fact they were standing in Vivienne Westwood, and the dresses that Sakura was picking up were anything _but_ sensible prices, seemed to have escaped Sakura's notice.

"I think I'll go back and get those lovely Jimmy Choo shoes I saw before," she said, placing the dresses back on the rack. "The ruby ones. So, I should get a red dress to match."

"You're going to be there a couple of hours at the most, and it's not exactly a restaurant that begs for formal wear," Sasuke sighed, following Sakura as she walked away from the rack and to another one. "Don't you have something suitable in your wardrobe already?"

"But I want _new_ stuff," Sakura half-whined, pulling a red dress off of the rack.

"You're spoiled, did anyone ever tell you that?" Sasuke told her, leaning against the wall and crossing one leg over the other.

Sakura had the grace to look slightly hurt. "_Fine_, I won't buy a new handbag as well."

"Weren't the shoes you wanted £500? Perhaps you should pass on those too, your poor father told you to be sensible, not stupid. How do you think Naruto's going to feel when he finds out you spent more money than he's probably ever _seen_ on a pair of _shoes_? He's not going to see your feet- they're going to be under the table the entire time."

Sakura looked unusually sobered, putting the dress back on the rack. "You're right, Sasuke."

With that, she turned and headed to the exit. Surprised, Sasuke followed her, grabbing her arm as she turned to head down the street without another word.

"I can't justify spending that kind of money on new things when Naruto won't even have the money to _eat_ well today," Sakura told him quietly, hanging her head in shame. "Can I?"

"There's no reason you can't buy a new dress, or new shoes," Sasuke declared. "You don't have to spend a small fortune to get pretty things, you know."

"I've probably got stuff at home," Sakura replied, shaking her head slightly. "You're right about that."

"Do you want to go and take a look?"

Sakura smiled at him slightly, nodding. "Okay."

-.-.-

"Sakura, I didn't expect to see you back so soon! Oh, and hello Sasuke my dear, how are you?"

"I'm alright Mrs. Haruno," Sasuke replied politely, smiling at Sakura's mother as she stood aside and let him and Sakura into the house.

"Didn't you find anything?" Mrs. Haruno asked, noticing Sakura's empty hands.

"No, I didn't, and Sasuke suggested that perhaps he could pick something nice out of my wardrobe," Sakura told her mother, handing her father's debit card back to her.

Her mother looked surprised, but smiled all the same. "That's kind of him. Go on, go up and have fun, my dears."

Sakura gratefully led Sasuke away up the stairs, pulling them into her bedroom and closing the door quietly.

"At least she didn't hint we should spend all afternoon 'making some grandchildren' this time," Sasuke smirked softly, settling down on Sakura's bed as she opened her wardrobe.

"Probably because I yelled at her about that," Sakura admonished, searching through her wardrobe.

"Why don't I look?" Sasuke asked. "That's what you told your mother, after all."

Sakura stepped aside and let Sasuke have a look, searching through the dresses on the hangers carefully. He pulled out a black dress, holding it up. Sakura frowned, grabbing it off him and throwing it back into the wardrobe.

"That's a terrible dress. I thought gay men were supposed to have good fashion sense."

Sasuke glared at her. "If it's so terrible, why do you _have_ it?"

"I probably got it in a sale or something," Sakura declared, standing aside again. "Find something better."

Sasuke flicked through the dresses a little more, finally pulling out a blue, strapless knee-length dress with a pale blue pattern along the hem. Sakura cocked her head to one side and took it off him, nodding.

"Alright. I'll try this one on. Get out."

She beckoned to the hallway with her head, confused when Sasuke didn't move.

"Sakura, I've seen you naked a hundred times when we were younger. Besides, I'm going to be looking for some blue shoes in your wardrobe, and have no interest in the female body. Get on with it."

Sakura glared at his turned back, but started to get changed regardless.

"How about these?" Sasuke asked, spinning around with a pair of blue, strappy sandals with a butterfly pattern on them.

Sakura, who was in the process of changing, covered herself with her arms hurriedly. Sasuke rolled his eyes, throwing the shoes past her and onto the bed.

"Oh- breasts," he sighed. "How thoroughly _unattractive_."

He turned around again, ignoring Sakura's indignant look, and rifled through the wardrobe more for a matching handbag.

When he found one, he turned and handed it to her. This time, Sakura was dressed, with the shoes on as well, and looking in the mirror.

"What do you think?" She asked, twirling around once.

Sasuke studied her for a moment before nodding. "It's nice. It suits you."

Sakura smiled, running a hand through her long hair. "Do you think I should get a haircut?"

"If you want."

"What do you think will suit me?"

"I have no idea."

Sakura scowled at him. "No, really- what do you think?"

Sasuke closed the wardrobe door, turning to face her. "I think you won't get a salon to cut your hair this time of day- it's getting late and it's Saturday."

Sakura grinned at that. "My mother used to be a hairstylist before she met my dad. I'm sure if I ask nicely she'll do something for me."

"She did?" Sasuke echoed, sounding impressed. "There's something I didn't know."

"Now, get out while I change this time, I don't care that you're gay- calling my breasts 'unattractive' is an insult regardless."

Sasuke smirked at that, heading out into the hallway and closing the door behind him softly.

-.-.-

The following morning Sasuke awoke to the faint sound of his doorbell ringing. He contemplated putting a pillow over his head and simply ignoring it, but decided against it, near-crawling out of the bed and grabbing his dressing gown. The clock told him it was half past ten, which was far too early to get up for someone that had spent most of the previous night semi-awake and restless.

Pulling open the door, he realised a certain blond visitor was standing on his doorstep, looking sheepish. He narrowed his eyes in confusion, cocking his head slightly in question.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Naruto asked, noticing Sasuke lean on the doorframe, trying not to yawn.

"Come in," Sasuke told him, stepping aside and ignoring the question.

Naruto stepped inside, pulling the door closed behind him and following Sasuke through into the kitchen.

"I'm really sorry to trouble you, Sasuke," Naruto began as Sasuke put the kettle on, opting for coffee to wake himself up with. "But... Well, you're the best person to talk to about this, I suppose. And I know I don't know you well, but... " He paused, taking a deep breath. "This is about Sakura and that's why you're best to talk to."

"You're not going to stand her up," Sasuke told him- and it was an order, not a question.

"No," Naruto replied hurriedly. "No, I had no plans to."

"Then what?" Sasuke asked, putting some bread into the toaster. "And while I'm making it, do you want any toast?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, it's fine, I'll be meeting Sakura soon and I want to be able to eat."

"Sit down, Naruto."

Naruto did so, looking even more awkward. Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly, watching as Naruto wrung his hands together nervously and kept his eyes on the table.

"You don't like her, do you?" He asked.

Naruto looked up at him, eyes slightly widened. "No, I do! She's lovely and kind, and she's pretty."

"But you don't _like_ her?"

Naruto cast his eyes downward again, slowing shaking his head. "No."

"Then tell her," Sasuke said with a shrug, grabbing his toast as it popped and transferring it to a plate quickly.

"How can I?" Naruto sighed. "She's so _nice_."

"She'd be really upset if you strung her along," Sasuke declared, shrugging again. "She'll take it fine if you're nice about it."

"I'd never do that to her- or anyone," Naruto replied, looking up at Sasuke again as he joined him at the table. "But it just feels wrong going on a date with her when I don't feel anything for her other than 'wow, she's a nice girl'."

"I understand that," Sasuke replied. "And she will too. But there's no reason you can't go out for lunch with her anyway."

"Won't she think she's wasting her money on someone that isn't interested, though?"

"Sakura will use any excuse to dress up nicely and go to a restaurant. Trust me. She goes out with me all the time, and I certainly won't be warming her bed any time... Well, _ever_."

Naruto laughed, too. "I got that impression. Is it one of those 'we've been friends too long to progress our relationship' things?"

Sasuke looked slightly nervous, breaking the eye contact. "Not exactly."

"Ah," Naruto answered, sensing Sasuke's discomfort. "Forget I asked. It's none of my business."

He stood, smiling and holding a hand out to Sasuke. "Thanks for the advice. I'll just tell her how I feel before we go in, so she can decide to do whatever she wants to anyway."

"She will," Sasuke told him, taking the outstretched hand and shaking it. "I told you, any excuse."

Naruto beamed at that, letting Sasuke's hand go and giving him a small wave. "Well, I'll be off then."

"Aren't you going to be a bit early?" Sasuke asked, glancing over at the clock on the wall. "You still have over an hour to get there."

"I don't want to bother you," Naruto replied, not meeting Sasuke's eye.

"You aren't," Sasuke admitted. He'd been enjoying the company, even if he still didn't trust the relative stranger before him.

"Don't feel like you have to ask me to stay or anything."

"I don't."

"But-"

"Naruto, sit down and have a coffee with me."

Naruto did sit back down- but only because the authority in Sasuke's voice made the request a command and he felt obliged to obey. Sasuke was setting about making two coffees, glancing around to ask Naruto how many sugars he wanted.

"However you like," he shrugged in reply.

"You don't have a preference?" Sasuke asked, genuinely surprised.

"I take whatever's going," Naruto replied with an awkward shrug. "You don't get to be picky when you're homeless."

Sasuke bit his tongue and made Naruto's coffee as he did his own- strong, no sugar. Sakura often joked he was as bitter as his coffee tastes, and he smiled softly to himself. She was often right.

"Do you mind me asking about that?" Sasuke asked as he sat back down, putting down the coffees.

"About what?"

"About you being homeless."

Naruto gave him a sad smile. "I don't really want to talk about it."

Sasuke nodded. "That's fine."

"But," Naruto replied, looking sly. "I could be convinced if you tell me why you and Sakura aren't an item when everyone around you thinks you are."

Sasuke turned scarlet, eyes widening slightly. "I don't know about that."

"Don't you fancy her?"

"_No_. And _you_ don't either, so I'm not sure what you're getting at."

"Does she fancy you?"

Sasuke shrugged slightly. "I have no idea. I hope not."

"And how long have you guys known each other now?"

"As long as I can remember," Sasuke replied, putting his coffee cup down and looking slightly nostalgic. "My parents are originally from different parts of Japan, and they came here to study at the same time. They ended up in a relationship, and decided to settle here rather than go back to Japan. They met Sakura's mother there and stayed in contact. She met Sakura's father around the time my parents had my brother, and a few years later Sakura's mother decided she wanted kids as well. They decided to have Sakura, and my parents decided to have me, so we could 'grow up together'."

"So you did?" Naruto asked, also putting his coffee down.

"Yes. As far as I can remember, Sakura's been there. Our parents always joked about us getting married, and we _did_ try the whole relationship thing."

"And it didn't work out?"

"No."

"Oh come on!" Naruto protested. "You can't leave it like that! _Why_ didn't it work out? I'll talk about me, I promise!"

Sasuke shook his head, sighing in defeat. "I'm gay, alright?"

"Is that all?" Naruto asked. "You thought I was going to get funny with you about that?"

"Maybe."

"And let me guess, your parents both believe you guys are together because you haven't come out to them yet?"

"Pretty much."

"Because they'll reject you?"

"Probably."

Naruto sighed softly, giving Sasuke a sympathetic smile. "So it's complicated, then?"

"I guess you could say that," Sasuke agreed, picking up his coffee again. "So, go on- tell me about you."

Naruto grinned, tapping his wrist where a watch would be- if he was wearing one. "I can't be late for Sakura can I? Next time, Sasuke!"

With that, he was up and gone, leaving Sasuke staring at the empty space where he had been sitting in disbelief.

-.-.-

_Note: Ah, Wagamama. How I love thee XD I couldn't resist giving one of my favourite restaurants a shout out! ;)_


	3. Chapter 3

**3.**

Naruto waited patiently outside the restaurant for Sakura to arrive, glancing around for a clock and mentally cursing when he couldn't see one. He'd hurriedly left Sasuke's place to avoid having to have _that_ discussion he dreaded whenever it was asked of him, and as a result, he been very early for meeting his 'date'.

He'd managed to find a flower shop, using the last of his money to buy her a red rose. The blond girl behind the counter had winked at him and told him the recipient of said rose was a 'lucky girl', which had confused him. He certainly wasn't used to people coming on to him.

Glancing down the street, he grinned when he noticed Sakura turn the corner. He smiled softly, wishing that he could find it in his heart to _like_ her as she wanted. She looked positively beautiful- and had had a hair cut, he noticed. Her pink hair was shorter now, framing her pretty face well.

"Oh, Naruto," Sakura breathed, blushing and taking the rose offered to her as she approached. "You're too kind. These things are expensive, you shouldn't be wasting your money on them for me!"

"It's alright," Naruto told her, waving a hand dismissively, not wishing to admit he'd bought it mostly out of guilt. "I'm sorry, I need to talk to you before we go in, Sakura."

"Oh?" Sakura asked, looking confused.

"I'm sorry, I like you- I really do. But… I don't… You know…"

"You don't fancy me," Sakura ended bluntly, her voice neutral.

"I guess. I mean, you're pretty, but… I just…"

"You can't see yourself in a relationship with me."

"Well… Yeah."

Sakura gave him a kind smile, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "Naruto, thank you for being honest. And before you wonder, I'm still going to take you for lunch."

"You don't mind?" Naruto asked as she began to lead him to the restaurant.

"Like I said, I'm glad you were honest about it," Sakura repeated. "I can't force you to like me in a way you don't. That would be like trying to convert a gay man."

She snickered softly to herself at that, and Naruto grinned- now he knew why.

"I spoke to Sasuke this morning," he spoke of his thought. "He told me he was gay and you guys tried 'the whole relationship thing', but it didn't work out."

"Oh, he did?" Sakura asked, sounding slightly surprised. "Did he give you any details?"

"No."

Sakura grinned at that. "So he didn't tell you he chose to come out to me when we were in bed together then, huh?"

Naruto's eyes widened at that, and he chuckled. "No, he didn't."

"I felt sorry for him, I have to say," Sakura continued, holding a hand up a moment to tell the waiter 'table for two, please'. She continued once they were seated and alone once again, keeping her voice low as the restaurant was still quite empty. "We were… Getting quite active when he suddenly stopped and jumped off the bed, telling me he couldn't continue. I was a little… Well, harsh I suppose. I yelled at him about it, but he'd just jumped off me in the middle of some rather _pleasant_ activity!"

Naruto nodded at her to continue, indicating he didn't see her in any bad light for her admission.

"So, he started crying, and if you know Sasuke you _know_ that means there's something really wrong. That calmed me down instantly, and he admitted he didn't find women attractive, only men. It wasn't the best timing to break the relationship, but it had to be done."

"So I guess you guys just didn't tell your parents?"

"No," Sakura replied, shaking her head. "We talked about it a lot, and it was around that time Sasuke's parents were pressuring him to follow in his brother's footsteps and study medicine at university. He flat out told them no, and he wouldn't be bribed with money, which is what they did to his brother in the end. So they bought him the place in Mayfair and moved down the coast. They were already angry with him, so he figured it wasn't the best time to break the news about our relationship, and after a little while, we decided to just… Not bother. It was easier that way."

"But don't you want to meet someone?" Naruto asked. "Well, I know you do, since you asked me out."

Sakura looked slightly sad, picking up her menu to distract herself with. "I do. But I love Sasuke like a brother. I can't hurt him."

"But it hurts you."

"I know."

"And he wouldn't want you to hurt, would he?"

Sakura didn't reply, instead indicating to a waiter and ordering them both some drinks. Naruto tactfully didn't mention the unshed traces of tears in her eyes, making a mental note to have another chat with his newly-found dark haired friend.

-.-.-.-

Sakura found herself hesitating on Sasuke's communal doorstep, the key in her hand hovering inches from the keyhole. Even though she had let herself into her friend's house numerous times without calling, she felt bad _this_ time.

Perhaps, she told herself, it was because Naruto was standing sheepishly at the bottom of the steps, where she'd asked him to wait while she "sweet talked Sasuke" into letting the blond stay with him. Naruto had, of course, refused. It was only when Sakura had told him she'd find a way of having him pay that he'd tentatively agreed.

Sighing, she pushed the key into the lock and entered, holding a hand up to Naruto as she closed the door behind her to indicate she wouldn't be long. She turned to flick the light on but it came on before she touched it, and she looked up the stairs to see who had flicked it.

"Sasuke," she stuttered, giving him a shy grin as he raised an eyebrow at her. "Nice to see you!"

"Sakura," Sasuke responded after a moment. "I can't say I expected to meet you in my stairwell. How was your lunch?"

"It was good," Sakura nodded.

They stood in awkward silence for a moment before Sasuke began to head down the stairs.

"I wanted to talk to you about Naruto," Sakura continued, causing him to stop.

"Is here the best place for a conversation? I was heading out."

"Can it wait?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Let's go back up, then."

Sasuke opened his mouth to respond, but Sakura was already climbing the stairs and pushing him back towards his front door. Once they were back inside, Sakura jumped straight into the conversation.

"Can Naruto stay here with you?"

Sasuke stared at her, his face neutral.

"Please?" She continued after a moment, shrinking slightly under his gaze.

"Look, Sakura. He seems like a nice guy, but he's also being very shady about why he's homeless. For all we know he could be a criminal."

"I _doubt-_"

Sasuke held a hand up to stop her. "No, he might not be. But he _might_ be. I can't trust someone to live under my roof without telling me why he ended up on the street in the first place."

"What if he told us, then?"

"He could be lying."

"If he was some kind of criminal he'd have been arrested by now," Sakura reasoned. "He said before that the police move him on sometimes."

Sasuke shrugged slightly. "Possibly. Besides, he said he doesn't take charity."

"I know that. But what I was thinking was… What if you told him he could only stay for one month, and that he'd have to find a job in that time and pay you any money you've had to spend on his behalf?"

Sasuke thought about it for a moment, turning away as Sakura attempted her best puppy dog eyes on him.

"I'll think about it," he replied eventually. "But he's to sit down and be honest about his situation. And if I find out he's lied, or if he's in any type of trouble that ends up on _my_ doorstep, I'll throw him straight out."

"Well, we could do that now," Sakura told him, looking brightened. "He's sitting outside."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly at her, which she shook her head rapidly at. "Well, what else was I supposed to do? He's homeless, it's not like I could have called him when you were ready!"

Sasuke sighed, shrugging slightly and pulling open the front door. "Point taken."

They walked down the hallway to the stairs in silence, Sakura stopping at the top of them for a moment.

"He told me he wasn't interested in me," she said quietly. "And that he'd come to speak to you about it."

"He did," Sasuke confirmed. "And he dodged my questions about him. That's why I'm worried."

No more was said, Sasuke pulling open the front door and indicating to a startled Naruto, who was sitting on the steps.

"Come up," he said, standing aside.

Naruto scrambled to his feet, thanking Sasuke and stepping past him into the hallway.

"Sakura's spoken to me about her idea," Sasuke told him, pushing the door closed. "And I'm willing to consider it, but under my circumstances."

"Sasuke, you don't have to," Naruto said defensively. "I don't take charity, and I don't see how this can be considered anything _but_."

"Come on up and we'll talk about it," Sasuke repeated. "Before you make up your mind."

-.-.-

The moment they were seated at the kitchen table, Sasuke spoke.

"I'm willing to let you stay here," he began. "But for one month. In that time, I want you to get a job. Any money I lend you, I want you to pay back from that job."

Naruto nodded. "I can do that."

"Secondly, I want to know about you."

Naruto looked down at the table, looking sheepish. "I thought you might say that."

"I want to know why you're homeless. Because if you're in any trouble, I won't get involved, and you won't be staying here."

"That's understandable."

"So what's going on, Naruto?"

Naruto stayed silent for a moment, wringing his hands together before eventually answering so quietly they both had to strain their ears to hear him.

"I was a gambling addict."

"Gambling?" Sasuke repeated, earning a small nod in response. "Do you owe anyone anything now?"

"No. I was declared bankrupt. I don't owe anything, but I don't own anything anymore because of it, including my flat."

He sighed, bringing his hands down to the table. "My parents left me some money when they died. The moment it was released for me, I spent it. I spent it all. Then I tried to win it back- but that doesn't work, does it? The rest of my family was ashamed that I'd wasted my parent's money like that. They disowned me, made it clear I deserved my place on the streets because of my stupid actions."

"I'm so sorry," Sakura said quietly, reaching out to take his hand.

"Don't be," Naruto told her firmly, pulling his hand away from her. "They were right. I deserved it. My parents left me that money so I'd have a comfortable start to life when I was old enough to appreciate it. I _didn't_ appreciate it."

"If you're lying to me-" Sasuke began, but he stopped when Naruto looked up at him, clear regret in his eyes.

"I'm not lying. Trust me, Sasuke. I didn't want to tell you two about this because I'm ashamed of myself, and you're the first people to actually glance my way for more than just a second in a long time."

Sasuke sighed heavily, folding his arms across the table. "Alright, Naruto. You can stay. But what I said earlier still stands, so you'd better hope you don't owe anybody anything."

Naruto smiled at him. "Thank you, Sasuke. I'll keep note of what I owe you, and I promise you I'll pay it back every penny."

-.-.-

The following morning Sasuke awoke to find Naruto already sitting at his kitchen table, a plate of toast in front of him, writing on a scrap of paper he'd procured from the stack by the telephone.

"What are you doing?" He asked sleepily, seating himself opposite his new flat-mate.

"I told you I'd keep note of what I owe you," Naruto told him, still scribbling on the paper. "So I am."

"But I haven't spent any money on you yet," Sasuke pointed out.

Naruto pointed to the slices of toast in front of him. "You bought this bread, didn't you?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, sighing and taking the pen away from Naruto. "I meant reasonable sums of money, not to keep note of everything you eat or drink. Just halve the grocery bill and write that down."

Naruto smiled gratefully, picking up his now-cold toast. "Thanks, Sasuke."

Sasuke shrugged, feeling slightly awkward.

"How about rent?" Naruto asked after a moment of silence. "How much is that?"

"Nothing," Sasuke informed him. "My parents bought me this flat outright."

Naruto almost choked on his toast. "Seriously?"

Sasuke nodded. "They told me to 'get job hunting' since London's 'the land of opportunity'."

"But you don't work, do you?"

"They keep filling my bank up for me," Sasuke sighed. "I have no need to. Then they wonder why I'm not working yet when I visit them."

Naruto chuckled at that. "So where do I look to find a job? Wander through town looking in shop windows?"

"You could," Sasuke agreed. "Or you could just pick up the local paper from the stand by the front door and look at the back for job openings."

Naruto finished his toast, standing and fetching the aforementioned paper sheepishly. Laying it down in front of them, he flicked to the back pages.

"Ah, here we go. Let's see what we have. I'll do anything right now, I don't care."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "I wouldn't say that. You're in London."

Naruto didn't seem to be listening, pointing to a small advert at the bottom of the page. "Here, this is well paid and it's only part time! 'Platinum Select are looking for male escorts'-"

"No," Sasuke cut in immediately.

"I can do that, it's just taking old people to shops and stuff right?"

Sasuke stared at him. "What?"

"Escorting people! Taking them places!"

Sasuke continued to stare at him. "You live in London- how'd you manage to grow up so naïve?"

Naruto looked confused, turning the page of the paper. "I don't understand."

"Maybe that's for the best. What else is in there?"

"Hey, this sounds like fun! 'Sandwich Artist' for Subway!"

"It's just making sandwiches with a fancy name, no need to get so excited."

"But it sounds cool! And besides I told you, I'll do anything. I'll call them."

Sasuke watched him leave with the newspaper to do just that, sighing heavily and standing to make himself some coffee.

Naruto re-entered the room a few minutes later, beaming from ear to ear, newspaper clenched in his excited hand still.

"They told me they could interview me tomorrow afternoon at their Leicester Square branch."

"So we'll need to get you some clothes," Sasuke replied, sitting back down with his coffee.

"Huh? What's wrong with what you leant me?" Naruto asked, indicating the clothes he was still wearing.

"You can't go to an interview in semi-smart clothes you've been wearing since yesterday."

"We could wash them?"

"You need a _suit_, Naruto, it's a job interview- you have to make a good impression. I'm not sure any of mine will fit you properly."

"These fit," Naruto shrugged, indicating the clothes again.

"It's slightly different for suits," Sasuke pointed out. "But we can try some of mine before we go out buying one. We'll take a look when I've had this."

He indicated his coffee, picking up to sip it. As he did, the telephone in the hallway began to ring, and Sasuke sighed, putting the mug back down.

"I can get it," Naruto told him, holding a hand up. "I live here now, remember? Drink your coffee."

"It's going to be for me anyway," Sasuke reasoned, waving a hand at Naruto and continuing to stand and heading out to answer the offending phone.

"Hello? Oh- Itachi! No problem, I'm busy myself as well, we can chat properly another time. You are? When? I'm sure that'll be fine. Okay. Okay, see you then."

He hung the phone up, looking bemused as he headed back into the kitchen and re-seated himself. Naruto looked equally confused by his reaction but kept quiet, regarding him silently from the doorway.

"Apparently my brother is visiting my parents next weekend from Oxford and he asked if I could visit them too," Sasuke explained, filling the silence. "He doesn't really have time to stop here to say hello to me as well."

"But that's good, right?" Naruto asked, noticing Sasuke seemed less than thrilled at the concept.

"It _is_, but my parents are…" He paused, taking a sip of his coffee as he thought of a suitable way to phrase what he wanted to say. "Pushy," he settled with. "They'll ask why Sakura and I aren't married yet and all that, and I don't really want to have to deal with that."

"Can't you just ask them nicely not to interfere?" Naruto suggested with a shrug.

Sasuke stared at him, causing Naruto to shrink slightly under his gaze. "They tried to _pay_ me to go to University and study medicine because it made them look better. I love them, I really do, but they value academics too highly." He finished the coffee, standing and putting the mug in the sink. "They _succeeded_ in paying my brother to do the same."

"Do they live far away?" Naruto asked, changing the subject as he realised Sasuke looked slightly uncomfortable with the current topic.

"They live down on the Kent coast, an hour or so away."

"The coast?" Naruto echoed. "By the sea?"

Sasuke nodded, looking at Naruto curiously. "Don't tell me you're one of those beach-types."

"I don't know," Naruto responded with an awkward shrug. "I've never actually seen the sea."

"Never?"

"Nope. Never left London, in fact."

"You could come with me then and keep me company."

"Really?" Naruto asked, brightening further. "Won't your parents mind?"

"They usually tell me to bring Sakura, but she's managed to avoid it the last few times. I'll just tell them Sakura's unable to come as usual, and that I'm bringing a friend for company."

"Well, if you're _sure_."

"It'll be fine. Let's go up and see if I have a suit that fits you, shall we?"

-.-.-

Once the door was closed and Sasuke was rifling through his closet, he realised he was trusting this man. He inwardly frowned at that, mentally reminding himself he shouldn't. He barely knew him, only had his word to take for his past, and that unnerved him. Then again, people in general unnerved him sometimes.

"Hey," Naruto said, breaking him from his trance. "Your bed looks _comfy_."

Sasuke heard the tell-tell sound of Naruto flinging himself down onto the bed, yet he refrained from yelling at him to get off of it. His mind was casually reminding him it had been a while since he'd had anybody in his bedroom, and he mentally stamped all over it to quiet it.

"How about this one?" He said of the suit he was holding, turning around and throwing it in the direction of the bed.

"Let's see shall we," Naruto responded rhetorically, snatching it up and changing into it as Sasuke averted his eyes. When he was changed, he tapped Sasuke on the shoulder, causing him to turn around and see Naruto dismally flapping his arms.

"The sleeves are too short," Sasuke sighed, grabbing them and tugging them slightly. "Looks like we'll have to go shopping. You're not _that_ much taller than me either, but that's a fitted suit for you."

"We can get a suit pretty cheap, right?" Naruto asked, beginning to pull the suit off. "I don't want to have to owe you _too_ much money."

"I'm not planning on taking you to Saville Row or anything, don't worry," Sasuke reassured him.

"Good," Naruto nodded. "I bet you were hoping for us to have to shop. Aren't gay guys supposed to like shopping?"

Sasuke reddened slightly, taking the suit when Naruto handed it to him and busying himself putting it back on the hanger. "Don't stereotype."

"So you don't like it?"

"…No, I do."

"Ha, see!"

"_Regardless_," Sasuke said curtly, putting the suit away and closing the cupboard door. "It's rude to assume things of me based on my sexuality, is it not?"

Naruto shrugged, pulling the shirt he had been wearing back on and buttoning it. "You made the immediate assumption that because I was homeless I was some kind of criminal, and don't say you didn't, because I saw the look on your eye when we spoke about it."

Sasuke didn't reply, choosing not to comment on that.

"People say 'don't judge a book by its cover', but sometimes it's a natural reaction," Naruto said quietly. "You still don't trust me, do you?"

"No," Sasuke answered- but it was only half truthful at this point.

Naruto shrugged, apparently not caring. "At least you're honest to the point of brutality. I get the impression you aren't someone I'd want to cross regardless."

"You're correct."

"Is that a threat?" Naruto asked boldly.

Sasuke pulled open the bedroom door, indicating for Naruto to follow. "It will be if you piss me off."

Naruto stepped through the door, looking solemn. "I'll keep that in mind."

-.-.-

_Author's Note: Yes, Itachi's going to be a nice big brother here. I like sibling interaction, and this AU provided me with a scenario to add it :)_

_Thank you for reading, and thanks for all the reviews so far!_


	4. Chapter 4

**4.**

Sasuke found his new flat-mate surprisingly easy to live with. He was considerate of the home, making sure he washed up anything he used in the kitchen and that he _didn't_ leave wet towels all over his bathroom floor after a shower like Sakura did whenever she stayed over. He had successfully got the job at Subway and had pinned an ongoing chart of how much money he owed Sasuke to the fridge door, eager to pay it back as soon as he could.

Sasuke slowly pried it off, leaning against the counter as he scanned it. Living with Naruto would be absolutely perfect if he didn't put Sasuke on edge. He trusted him more now they'd been living together for a week or so, but Sasuke had to squash the thoughts that some criminal gang was going to show up on his doorstep for Naruto. It was unfair- he knew that, which is why he kept his thoughts to himself now.

He pinned the paper back to the fridge, sighing heavily. The total wasn't high, and while Naruto wasn't earning much either it would be enough to pay him back from his first paycheck. He knew he should be happy for him- but he wasn't. It was utterly selfish and he knew it, but he didn't want to go back to living by himself. As much as he'd convinced himself he liked it that way, actually co-habiting with someone proved otherwise.

"Hey, Sasuke. I bought lunch home."

Sasuke looked up, startled, to see Naruto standing in the doorway. He was in uniform, having just got in from work, waving a Subway bag in front of him and grinning.

"Ah. Thanks."

Naruto flung the bag down onto the kitchen table, looking concerned as he seated himself. "Why were you checking that list? Do you need the money or something?"

"No. I was just curious."

"I'm writing everything down, I said I would."

"No, I was genuinely just wondering," Sasuke repeated, sitting down opposite Naruto. "And I have a proposition for you."

"Oh?" Naruto asked, glancing up from the sandwich he had already ripped from the bag hungrily. "Go on."

"How about… I'll throw that note away and clean the slate on what you owe me if you do me one favour."

Naruto put the sandwich down, crossing his arms. "I'm listening. You know what I'm like about charity, so this had better be good."

"You come out with me for a drink sometime."

Naruto looked amused, picking up his sandwich again. "That sounds like an awfully easy thing to do to write off that bill."

Sasuke shrugged awkwardly. "It would be nice, right?"

"I'll come for a drink, but you're not writing off that bill for it," Naruto replied after a moment. "And eat your lunch, I made it just how you like it you finicky bastard- lightly toasted and tons of cucumber on ham."

"Thanks, but I'm not that hungry," Sasuke replied, laying his arms across the table and leaning on them. Naruto eyed him suspiciously.

"Are you alright?" He asked, concerned, finishing his sandwich and poking Sasuke's arm gently.

"I'll be fine."

"That means you're not right now."

"It doesn't matter, Naruto."

"Sure it does," Naruto argued, picking up Sasuke's untouched sandwich and putting it into the fridge. He hovered behind Sasuke, putting a hand down onto his shoulder. It was shrugged off immediately, but he put it back, clasping firmly. "I know I don't know you well yet, Sasuke, but I'll listen if you need to rant about something."

Sasuke didn't reply, shrugging the hand away again more forcefully. Naruto frowned, sitting back down and poking him again.

"You're lonely aren't you?" He said quietly after a moment.

Sasuke shrugged.

"You are, aren't you?" Naruto repeated. "That's why you asked me out for a drink."

Sasuke shrugged again, not wanting to comment- he would try to deny it, but deep down he knew it was true.

"I normally spend a lot of time with Sakura," he eventually answered, despite his mind's attempt to stop him. "But she's been busy with work. She took some extra shifts- her Dad offered to buy her a car if she learns to drive, but she has to pay for the lessons."

"Is Sakura enough, though?" Naruto asked quietly. "Because I know Sakura wants to meet someone. She mentioned it briefly when we had lunch last week."

"If I met someone, I'd eventually have to come clean with my parents. That can't happen right now."

Naruto sighed, leaning back in the chair. "It's probably best you do anyway. What's the worst your parents would do?"

"Never speak to me again? They had my life planned out from my birth, and my brother too. I _know_ that plan included babies and marriage."

"You can't live your life for them," Naruto said softly.

"Tell that to my brother."

"No, tell that to _you_ too."

"Speaking of your parents, what time are we heading to theirs?"

Sasuke stood, indicating the doorway. "Right now. I didn't say what time we were going to arrive but now's as good a time as any to leave."

"Changing the subject, eh?" Naruto sighed, standing too. "Alright, why not? But eat your lunch, I don't want a perfectly good sandwich being wasted!"

"You can have it," Sasuke replied, waving his hand dismissively in Naruto's direction as he headed out of the kitchen.

Naruto grinned wide, snatching it back out of the fridge. "Don't mind if I do!"

-.-.-

Sasuke always mentally prepared himself for the bout of cold air that would hit him when he got off the train. His parents lived in a coastal town and he definitely wasn't used to the bitter sea air. One thing he marveled at in London was the lack of icy winds within the busy towns, and he adjusted badly to being taken away from that. He was wearing a thick coat, wrapped around himself tightly, and knowing it still wouldn't be enough.

"It'll be cold," he warned Naruto as they stood by the doors, the train slowing into the station. "My father's going to meet us here and drive us, though."

Naruto shrugged easily. "I'm used to cold. No big deal."

Sasuke thought about that for a moment before realising what he'd said, and looked slightly guilty. It was winter and Naruto had only been living with him a week. Previous to that, he was on the streets. In November. At night.

The train door slid open, blasting him with the cold he had anticipated. Naruto, true to his word, didn't look bothered at all, despite the fact he wasn't even wearing a coat.

"Sakura still goes out at night in a skirt," he said as he led Naruto towards the exit, showing their tickets to the door attendant as they did. "I have no idea how she manages to not freeze to death."

Naruto chuckled at that, sounding slightly nervous. Sasuke caught it immediately, along with the reason.

"My family won't bite," he told Naruto, scanning the car park they'd walked out into for his father's car. "They said they're looking forward to meeting you when I spoke to them earlier to let them know we were on our way."

He frowned, not seeing his father's car parked. His family was punctual to the point where people expected them at least half an hour early, so it was unlike them to be late. He pulled his mobile from his pocket to call them before looking up as someone called his name.

Naruto's gaze followed the shout as well as Sasuke smiled softly and put his phone away again, indicating to Naruto to follow him.

"That has to be your brother," Naruto said, taking in the family resemblance, not surprised when Sasuke nodded to confirm.

"Itachi," he said as he approached. "I didn't expect you."

Itachi smiled at him as he opened the passenger door on the car for his brother, putting a fond hand on his shoulder when he was in range. "I offered. I haven't seen you in nearly a year, after all."

"Christmas wasn't it?"

"Right."

He noticed Naruto hovering nervously behind him and felt he should step in to help him.

"Itachi, this is Naruto."

"Pleasure to meet you," Itachi said politely, holding a hand out to Naruto to shake it. Naruto took it, smiling at the older man.

"And you."

With the introductions out the way, Sasuke climbed into the passenger seat whilst Naruto got into the back.

"Since when could you afford a BMW?" He asked, amused, as he buckled his seatbelt.

"Since I threatened to drop out of University."

"You did?" Sasuke asked, eyes wide.

"They didn't tell you?" Itachi sighed, starting the car. "I had some issues earlier in the year. I couldn't handle the workload on top of a few other things and threatened to drop out- Dad begged me not to, and told me he'd buy me 'any car I wanted'. I told him a car wasn't going to fix my problems and he turned up in Oxford with a blank cheque and the offer to come home for a week to sort myself out."

"And you took him up on it?"

Itachi nodded. "I needed the week away more than I needed the car, but he bought me it anyway."

"Are you okay now?"

"I'm fine," Itachi confirmed, his voice leaving no room for Sasuke to question it even if he wanted to. "How about you? You're not looking very well, Sasuke."

"I'm not?"

"No. Mum's going to fuss over you, I'll warn you now. You look pale and tired and you've somehow managed to lose weight since the last time I saw you."

"Oh."

They drove in silence for a while, Sasuke staring out the window and attempting to ignore Naruto's troubled gaze he could just _feel_ on his back.

"How is Sakura?" Itachi asked after a while, pulling into a small street Sasuke recognized as his parents' road.

"She's fine," Sasuke responded quickly.

"So that's the problem is it?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Usually when someone is asked about their long term partner they don't say 'fine' in a manner that suggests the speaker change the subject," Itachi noted, pulling into the driveway. "But we can talk about that later if you want."

They got out of the car, Naruto looking up at the house in front of them in awe. It wasn't as he'd expected- which had been a huge mansion in the country from the way Sasuke spoke about his parents and their bank balance- but was a modest looking detached house on a normal looking street.

The front door swung open before they reached it, a dark haired lady Naruto presumed was Sasuke's mother standing before them with a kind smile on her face.

"Sasuke," she said softly, reaching forward with her arms outstretched. Sasuke complied, stepping forward and letting his mother embrace him tenderly.

"It's been too long," she spoke again- in Japanese. Naruto halted in the porch where he had just stepped, feeling out of place since he couldn't understand what was being said- even though it wasn't aimed at him.

"You look sick," she was continuing. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Sasuke responded- also in Japanese, confusing Naruto further. "Don't you worry about me."

"And this is your friend?" She asked, letting Sasuke go and beckoning Naruto inside. He was standing outside still, looking uncomfortable.

"Yes, this is Naruto," Sasuke confirmed in English, for Naruto's sake. "He doesn't understand Japanese, so perhaps we could speak English this time?"

"Ah of course- sorry. Make yourself at home, Naruto. I'm Mikoto."

"Pleased to meet you," Naruto replied, stepping inside and slipping his shoes off, shaking Mikoto's outstretched hand. "And you can speak Japanese if that's more comfortable for you."

Mikoto laughed slightly, shaking her head. "It's an old habit. We wanted the boys to be bilingual so we spoke Japanese at home, and they spoke English at school. It's something we never stopped doing, I suppose."

"Sasuke."

Sasuke looked up the stairs in front of them to see his father standing at the top, making his way down to them.

"Dad."

"Where's that fine girl of yours today then?" He enquired in Japanese.

"English please, Dad," Sasuke asked, indicating Naruto behind him, who was looking sheepish and out of place. "And Sakura's been working a lot more recently. She couldn't make it."

"That's a shame," he answered in English, honouring Sasuke's request. "This must be your friend Naruto, hiding behind you? Fugaku Uchiha, welcome to my home."

Naruto stepped aside, waving meekly. "Hello Mr. Uchiha."

"You're quite early, dinner won't be ready for a while," Fugaku continued, turning back to Sasuke without another word to Naruto.

"That's alright. I'll see if Mum needs any help."

He set off towards the kitchen where his mother had gone, pulling a stunned Naruto along behind him.

-.-.-

By the time dinner was served, Sasuke had remembered why he didn't visit his family very often. He loved them to pieces, but being in their presence and having to pretend to be absolutely perfect- on top of trying to be something he wasn't- was suffocating.

Naruto had sensed it as well, and had latched on to Sasuke's mother, becoming a second pair of hands for her instead of facing Sasuke's 'scary' father. It turned out he was good in the kitchen much to Sasuke- and Naruto's- surprise. Mikoto had taken him on board to help with dinner, leaving Sasuke to sit with Itachi and his father in the living room for most of the afternoon, attempting light conversation over coffee and TV. Mostly, Sasuke noticed, about him.

"You haven't knocked your girl up yet then?" His father had asked at one point, causing Sasuke to choke on his coffee and Itachi to smirk behind his hand. Sasuke had been saved by Naruto coming in to inform them the table was set for dinner, before he slunk off again and out of Fugaku's line of sight.

Dinner itself was quieter than Sasuke had expected. They ate in relative silence, Mikoto only speaking up when everybody was almost finished.

"How is Sakura keeping?"

Sasuke looked across at her, slightly startled- he'd already finished eating and had been staring off into space in a trance.

"Huh? She's alright. Busy with work- she's going to be learning to drive."

"That's good news. Are you going to learn to drive any time soon?"

"I don't think I need to. The transport system is pretty good, especially in inner and north London. Sakura just wants the freedom, even if she'll spend most of her time in traffic."

"You'd be able to come and see us more often if you did, though."

Sasuke smiled at her- even though she had said it jokingly, he knew she was making a hint. "I will come down more often, I promise."

"So you aren't working yet?" His father asked.

"No."

"Still don't want to go to University I suppose?"

"_No_, Dad. I don't know what I want to do with myself yet."

"Well, you should consider Sakura," Fugaku continued. "After all, in a few years, you'll probably be married. Maybe even have children. You can't expect to stay at home with children to provide for."

"Children that are non existent right now," Sasuke pointed out.

"You need to think about it, Sasuke," his father replied, apparently not hearing what had been said to him. He stood, gathering the plates from people. "You can't sit around doing nothing forever. Just look at your brother- he'll be a qualified doctor before you've even bought Sakura a ring."

"Don't bring me into this," Itachi sighed, but his request went unheard.

Sasuke stood, handing his plate to his father and indicating the door. "It's hot in here, isn't it? I'm going to go out on the balcony and get some air."

He let himself out the room before either parent could protest, heading up the stairs and into the spare bedroom that held the door to a small balcony. It wasn't large- enough for two or three people to stand out on, but that was all he needed right now. Air, space, and a quiet place to collect his thoughts.

He pulled the door closed behind him, leaning on the black support and sighing heavily. The view overlooked the sea, and he cast his eyes across the sunset before him. The sky was an odd dusky pink, and he wished he was in the frame of mind to admire it more. London didn't get very good sunsets- the sky was always blanketed by a layer of pollution.

He heard the door behind him slide open and he didn't turn around. He knew by sense who it was.

"Itachi."

"Sasuke," Itachi responded, joining his side, leaning on the support as well and looking out towards the sea.

They stood in silence for a while- but Sasuke hadn't expected it any other way. Itachi always was one to sit quietly and wait for you to talk, rather than initiating conversation himself.

"How's it going at University?" Sasuke asked after a while. The silence had been comfortable, but he was genuinely interested in how his brother was doing- especially after his admittance in the car.

Itachi smiled slightly. "Hellish. I'm thankful for coffee, that's all I can say about my exam grades."

"What happened earlier in the year?" Sasuke asked quietly.

"It doesn't matter, Sasuke. I told you- I just had some problems. It's dealt with now."

"What kind of problems?

Itachi turned to him, frowning slightly at his brother's insistence. "You're not going to drop it, are you?"

"No."

"Fine- you asked for it. I was admitted to hospital following a self-inflicted knife wound to my wrist."

Sasuke took a moment to process that, keeping his features neutral. For all the fancy wording Itachi had used, what he was saying was clear- he had attempted suicide. However if there was one thing his brother didn't like it was being fussed over, so he chose to bury the panic he felt with the words.

"I'm sorry," he offered instead.

"It's not your fault, is it? Why are you saying sorry?"

Sasuke laughed slightly, shrugging. "It's just what you say when you're concerned, isn't it?"

"I'm doing better now, Sasuke. I have a nice place in a quiet part of Oxford, the work keeps me occupied, and I found a great girl."

"You did?" Sasuke echoed, turning to him, slightly bemused. "You didn't mention that."

"You know Mum and Dad," Itachi sighed. "They'd want me to bring her down for dinner and imply I should settle down and marry her constantly until she got scared and ran away."

Sasuke had to laugh at that. "Yeah, I know _that_ talk."

"I don't think you'll be having that talk for much longer with them, though."

"What makes you say that?"

"You clearly don't feel anything for Sakura, that's why. You know it, I know it, and I think they do too."

"You sound awfully sure of yourself," Sasuke responded, turning away from his brother, slightly annoyed he'd read him so well.

"You seem head over heels for Naruto, too."

Sasuke turned to face his brother so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash, eyes widened. "What did you say?"

Itachi looked bemused. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"Shut up," Sasuke hissed, his cheeks reddening as he turned back towards the setting sun. Itachi laughed slightly, turning to face it with him.

"So are you?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Sasuke snapped in return.

"I know you too well, Sasuke. We may not see each other often these days but I can read you like a book."

Sasuke declined to reply to that, wishing his brother would just disappear and leave him to collect his thoughts. He'd spent a lot of time not-thinking about Naruto lately, so his first thought was that Itachi was talking nonsense. His second thought, however, was the one that reminded him he'd had to actively not-think about Naruto since he'd noticed he was doing it far too much for his liking.

"Well, Sasuke?"

"Drop it," Sasuke snapped at him angrily.

"That's a yes, then."

"_Drop it!_" He snapped again, harsher, hoping his brother would take the hint before he got tempted to shut him up with his fists.

"Sasuke, I don't care who you find attractive, it's none of my business. But if you _do_ feel anything for him, it's probably best you make sure it stays as an attraction only for Sakura's sake."

"I'm not dating Sakura," Sasuke admitted, almost falling over his words. He felt the overwhelming need to be honest with his perceptive sibling, at least about his lack of relationship with Sakura. "I haven't been dating her for a long time now."

"Ah."

Sasuke turned and pulled on the door to leave, feeling stifled by the conversation. He hadn't admitted to anybody what he had just come clean with, and he felt the sudden need to lie down to calm his pounding heart.

"You can't lie to them forever, Sasuke."

He stopped, the door half open and his foot already over the threshold.

"It's easier this way," he found himself saying, feeling a stranger to his own voice.

"You deserve the right to be happy. You're old enough that you shouldn't be worrying about your parents and what they think."

"You can hardly talk," Sasuke shot back, not wanting to sound as vindictive as he did, but it came easily as he tried to turn the conversation. "You're dedicating your entire career to them."

Itachi smiled sadly, turning back towards the sea. "You're right. I suppose we're never too old to want parental approval."

Sasuke opened his mouth to respond, wanting to apologise for his harsh tone, but found himself unable to. Instead he stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him.

Naruto was sitting in the hallway, leaning against the wall and looking concerned. Sasuke eyed him sadly, exhaling and sinking down next to him.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked quietly. "It's all the questions about Sakura and implications, isn't it?"

"No, it's because I love you and I'm an idiot for doing so," Sasuke snapped back in Japanese- deliberate, so Naruto wouldn't understand. Itachi, who had just stepped out into the hallway, caught it however.

"I was right then," he stated, also in Japanese.

Sasuke glanced up at him, the anger he had held dissipating. "Say a word and I'll kill you," he told him- though lacking malice- ignoring Naruto's confused look at their lack of English.

"I wouldn't dare. It's not my place."

Itachi continued on his way down the stairs, leaving Sasuke with his heart in his throat and struggling not to throw up. He took a few deep breaths, attempting to calm his racing heart.

"What did you guys say?" Naruto asked from his side after a few moments of silence.

"There's a nice sunset out," Sasuke told him, glossing over what had just happened as though it were nothing. "Maybe you'd like to come down to the beach and watch it?"

Naruto's face lit up, accepting Sasuke's refusal to talk. "How close is the beach from here?"

"A couple of minutes. Not far. We'll have to hurry else it'll set, though."

He stood and headed down the stairs, Naruto following him mutely. Neither of them spoke until they were halfway up the road and well out of range of the house.

"I see what you mean now" Naruto said, pushing the conversation again. "About them being pushy."

"I apparently did a terrible job of covering myself this time," Sasuke replied quietly. "Since my brother just guessed something was up with Sakura and I."

He decided he would keep his brother's _other_ correct guess to himself. Itachi had seen straight through him and seen what he refused to admit to even himself, and he wasn't ready to accept it yet.

"He did? What did he say?"

"He told me I should tell our parents and be happy."

"See?" Naruto exclaimed, beaming. "See? I told you!"

Sasuke didn't answer him, starting to jog. They were approaching the sea and the sun was lower than he wanted it to be to watch a sunset. He grabbed Naruto's arm and dragged him along behind him.

Once they were on the hill headed down to the sea, Sasuke slowed to a walk- but still didn't let Naruto's arm go. Naruto gently pulled it free after a moment, looking at the scene in front of him in awe.

The tide was headed in, lashing at the sandy shores noisily. Yet, it made him feel calm, and he stopped for a second to admire it.

"I could live here," he admitted. "Of all places to be homeless, I had to be in London. I'd happily have lived here."

"Aren't you cold?" Sasuke asked slightly crossly, wrapping his coat further around himself. The scene was, indeed, beautiful but with the setting sun came even icier sea breeze than he'd experienced earlier.

"I told you, I'm used to cold," Naruto said with a laugh, taking off and running down the hill and to the beach. Sasuke watched him go, feeling something inside him tugging sadly and trying to ignore it. He spent a lot of time trying to ignore how he felt, he realised with a start, and pushed that thought away too- verifying it in the process.

He walked down the hill, watching Naruto racing across the sandy beach and diving straight into the sea. He shook his head, sighing heavily. He was going to regret that when he got out and froze to death- Sasuke doubted that even Naruto would feel warm whilst soaking wet and being whipped by sea air.

He stepped out onto the sand, realising he was going to need a thousand showers when they got back in to rid the sand from him. It always ended up _everywhere_ it wasn't supposed to be if he so much as even looked at sand, let alone stepped on it.

As he approached the edge where the tide was lapping, he stopped, unwilling to step out further. The tide was coming in meant his feet would probably get wet if he went any further- and he also knew he'd probably just throw his shoes away if they got soaked as well as sandy.

"Are you enjoying that?" He asked of Naruto, who was a few feet out and splashing around happily.

"Aren't you joining me?!" Naruto called, and Sasuke recoiled, shaking his head.

"You have to be kidding me," he called back.

Naruto swam up to the shore, sodden to the bone but smiling widely. "Aw come on!" He protested, grabbing Sasuke's arm and trying to drag him in.

"_No_!" Sasuke fought, shaking his arm free and taking a few steps back. "Don't you dare! This is a new coat and I don't want to ruin it!"

"Is that so?" Naruto asked, grinning and taking the few steps towards Sasuke. "In that case…"

He grabbed the coat, pulling on it and succeeding in taking it off of Sasuke despite his struggling against it. Flinging it down into the sand, he grabbed the collar of Sasuke's pale blue shirt and fingered it slightly.

"This is an expensive shirt too I suppose?" He asked.

"Reasonably," Sasuke responded, too caught up in the fact Naruto was so close to him to fight for the moment.

Naruto unbuttoned it carefully, grinning as Sasuke visibly stiffened.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sasuke asked, finding his voice when Naruto pulled the shirt off of him and threw it down with the coat.

"You're coming for a swim," Naruto told him firmly. "You have five seconds to remove anything else you don't want to get wet."

Sasuke tried to protest but realised Naruto was deadly serious, kicking off his shoes as he felt himself being dragged towards the water.

"Naruto, what the hell?! _Naruto_!"

Naruto flung him into the sea, giggling like a madman and quickly ridding himself of his own sodden shirt and shoes. He waded back out to Sasuke, who was sputtering and attempting to claw at his eyes to remove the hair that had clumped in them.

"You bastard," Sasuke spat, finally succeeding and glaring at the grinning blond.

"It's warm though, right?"

Sasuke realised with a start that Naruto was right- despite the breeze, the sea _was_ actually reasonably warm.

"I suppose," he sulked.

Naruto grinned at that, putting a hand out and touching Sasuke's arm. "You're quite warm as well. I'm surprised."

"So am I."

The sun had practically set, leaving the sea to be lit by soft moonlight. It was hitting Naruto, framing him almost angelically, and Sasuke had to tear his eyes away. Soaking wet, topless, and under moonlight…

He took a deep breath to calm his racing thoughts, but it didn't do much good.

"What?" Naruto asked, noticing Sasuke's gaze. "Admiring me, are you?"

He dipped his head under the water, coming back up and whipping his head around seductively. Sasuke glared at him, swallowing hard to calm himself.

"Stop that," he responded crossly.

Naruto winked at him in return, clearly playing up on Sasuke's sexuality- and Sasuke wasn't definitely _not_ in the mood for it after his conversation with his brother. Something inside him snapped, and he wordlessly turned around and headed back to the shore.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, watching him go.

Sasuke ignored him, causing Naruto to swiftly follow.

"Hey, I'm sorry!" He called again. Sasuke still ignored him, swimming to the shore and getting out the water. Naruto caught up with him at the edge of the shore, clambering out as well and trying to shake some of the excess water off of himself. "Sasuke, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Naruto," Sasuke said evenly, sinking down into the sand by the shore with a heavy sigh. He figured there was no saving his clothes right now, and he had no desire to try and walk whilst he was still so wet. "You're just reinforcing a painful point that the things I _want_ I _can't_ have."

"You mean a boyfriend?" Naruto asked, sinking down into the sand with him.

"No," Sasuke admitted in a whisper. "_You_, you moron."

They stayed like that for a while, watching the tide begin to go out, the lashing of the shore becoming less and less. Naruto didn't comment on what Sasuke had said- and he _had_ spoken in English this time. Sasuke was thankful for his silence on the subject.

"I have no idea how we're going to explain this to my parents," Sasuke said after a while of comfortable silence. "They aren't going to expecting us to come back soaking wet and covered in sand." He glanced over at his shoes, shirt and coat, eyeing them wearily. "And I'm only half wet. That's going to be even harder."

"Well, you could get those wet and say you fell in," Naruto reasoned.

"The whole point of removing them was so they _didn't_ get wet and ruined."

He stood, shivering, and grabbed his clothes. He put the shirt back on, not bothering to button it, and pulled the coat over the top of it. He declined to put his shoes back on, instead opting to walk back without them on.

"Let's head back and hope for the best I suppose," he sighed. "It's getting late, we might be able to sneak past them and get showered and changed before they notice we're back."

It was only when they approached the driveway that Sasuke realised his mistake with that theory. He stopped and groaned, shaking his head.

"_Keys_. I didn't bring any keys."

Naruto couldn't help but laugh at that, attempting to hide behind Sasuke as he rang the doorbell to be let in.

His father answered the door, running his eyes across them as Sasuke looked sheepish.

"We fell in the sea," he said with a nonchalant shrug, acting as though it wasn't a big deal.

"You managed to keep your coat awfully dry," was all his father said before disappearing back into the living room. Sasuke watched him go, hanging the aforementioned coat back up and trying to suppress sudden laughter.

-.-.-

_Author's Note: Not much to say! I had a lot of fun with this chapter, and I hope enjoyed reading it :)_


	5. Chapter 5

**5.**

"Sasuke, wake up."

Sasuke stirred, noticing the room was still dark as he did so.

"Huh? Go back to sleep, Naruto."

"I'm not Naruto."

Sasuke peaked out from under the cushion, recognizing his brother's voice. He had flicked the lamp at the side of the bed on, bathing the room in soft light.

"I'm going to be heading off in about twenty minutes," Itachi told him. "I have to drive around London anyway, so I may as well drop you both off on the way. I won't have time to stop at your place, but I thought you'd appreciate the lift."

Sasuke sat upright, instantly interested. "That would be great. Thank you."

"You'll have to get up now though, I need to leave soon. I have an exam later today, and I can't afford to get caught up in traffic."

"What time is it?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"It's dark still."

"I know. That's why I'm not telling you."

Sasuke fell back down onto the bed, covering his eyes with one arm. "You're trying to kill me, aren't you?"

"One early morning won't kill you. Come on, get up. Naruto got up straight away and he's downstairs getting breakfast with Mum and Dad."

"I never was a morning person, you know that."

"And that's why I've given you twenty minutes to get up instead of five," Itachi told him with a smirk of amusement, heading out the room and closing the door behind him. Sasuke watched him go, fighting the urge to follow him. The room was cold, and the bed was warm. There was no competition there.

-.-.-

The drive back to London was pleasant- the radio at a reasonable volume and mostly clear roads, since it was four am. Sasuke hadn't been too pleased when he'd realised that. The twenty minutes he'd been given had become about three rushed minutes, since he'd gone straight back to sleep when Itachi had left him. Not amused, Itachi had literally dragged him out the bed and into the bathroom, threatening to throw him into an icy shower to wake him.

Sasuke had woken up pretty fast when he got as far as turning the shower on in his threat, knowing he'd follow through with it.

"How come you didn't leave last night if you had an exam today?" Sasuke asked as they turned through the familiar roads of his neighbourhood. "You can't have had much sleep."

"I'd rather drive home at night then drive home in the morning or evening," Itachi reasoned. "I can always sleep for a couple of hours when I get back home anyway, but I'll probably just drink coffee and hope for the best. You live around here don't you? Direct me, it's too early for me to try and wrack my memory for your exact address."

"Down there," Sasuke confirmed, pointing to a road to their left they had just driven past. Itachi halted, backing the car up the thankfully empty road and turning down it.

"You should probably wake Naruto," he noted as he parked the car. "I think he'll have to stay with you tonight."

"That's… Not a problem."

"So he's living with you?"

Sasuke scowled at that, annoyed at once again being read so easily. Avoiding the question, he decided on the best- and most evil- way to wake Naruto and reached over, pressing the car horn a couple of times. Naruto jumped, practically hitting the roof of the car, eyes wide and unfocused.

"We're home," Sasuke told him, looking over his shoulder.

"Oh," Naruto responded hazily. "Thanks for the lift."

"Tired and you still have manners," Itachi laughed. "I like you. Goodbye, Naruto."

Naruto clambered out the car, practically falling onto the pavement. He found his feet, climbing the stairs to the front door slowly.

"I'll see you upstairs, go to bed," Sasuke called to him, smiling as he watched him unsteadily cling to the stair rail.

"So how did he end up living with you then?" Itachi asked, an eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Long story. He needed somewhere to stay and I offered is the short version," Sasuke offered, not wishing to go into the details right then. "We'll save the long version for another day."

He got out of the car, keeping the door open to speak to his brother before leaving.

"Take care of yourself," Itachi spoke up after a moment. "And get some sleep. You look shattered."

"Shouldn't I be the one telling you to take care of yourself?" Sasuke told him, what his brother had told him on the balcony still fresh in his mind.

"I told you, I'm doing better," Itachi told him firmly. "Don't worry about me. It was a mistake I won't be making again."

Sasuke smiled weakly at him. "You'd better not."

"Sasuke," Itachi said warningly. "Worry about yourself. You're a wreck, and you're not doing a very good job of hiding it. I _know_ you. I _grew up_ with you. You can't hide much from me, as I'm sure you found out last night."

Sasuke glared at him, trying hard to be angry at his perceptiveness, but instead found himself falling to his knees, slamming the car door hard and sobbing unexpectedly into his hands.

He heard the other car door open and close, knowing Itachi was getting out to see if he was alright. He heard his footsteps heading around the car, welcoming the arms that encircled him, trying to compose himself but lack of sleep and far too much stress made it impossible.

"Sasuke…" Itachi said quietly. "Am I going to have to come up for a coffee and a chat?"

"You can't," Sasuke protested, shaking his head violently. "Your exam, you can't-"

Itachi silenced him with a finger to his lips, shaking his head firmly. "No. Not important right now."

"But-"

"Calm down," Itachi interrupted again, holding him tighter. "Stop crying. Calm _down_. This isn't like you, and I'm not going anywhere yet."

Sasuke let himself be held, sobbing into Itachi's chest. Itachi let him, absently running a hand through his hair for the comfort he knew it would bring, shushing him like one would a child. He really didn't know how else to react, since Sasuke had _been_ a child the last time he had had to do this.

He gently pulled Sasuke to his feet when he quieted slightly, indicating the stairs to the communal front door.

"Let's go up, shall we?" He said, taking Sasuke's arm and leading him towards them.

"I can walk," Sasuke protested shakily, pride momentarily taking over.

Itachi didn't release his arm- clenching it even tighter, in fact.

Once inside, Sasuke noted Naruto had already gone to bed. He was thankful for that- right now, he didn't want to deal with his concern too.

Itachi led him through to the kitchen, sitting him down and filling the kettle. He hunted briefly for coffee and mugs, forcing Sasuke to sit down when he tried to do it instead.

"It's my kitchen," Sasuke protested. "And my house."

"Sit _down_, Sasuke."

A few minutes later, Itachi placed two coffees on the table and sat down opposite his brother. Sasuke tried not to meet his gaze. He had calmed down now, and was mentally wracking up ways to try and make what had just happened seem less important than Itachi thought it was.

"Talk," Itachi said after a minute or so of silence.

"I'm fine," Sasuke tried. "Really. I'm just tired."

Itachi glared at him. "Sasuke, don't lie to me. Don't tell me you're 'fine'. You're not the type to cry because you're tired. You barely reacted when Mum told you our cat had been run over- which was cold, by the way."

"Yes I did," Sasuke protested sulkily. "I loved that damn cat."

"Don't change the subject."

"You bought it up."

"So what do I have to do to get you to talk, huh?" Itachi asked, picking up his coffee and glaring over it at his sibling, changing the subject back since they'd argue all morning if Sasuke had his way.

"How about being _alive_?" Sasuke snapped, glaring at him right back.

"So that's what this is about," Itachi sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"It would be a good place to start."

"I don't want to go into the details, Sasuke," Itachi said quietly. "A friend of mine called our parents when I was in the hospital being stitched up-"

"Stitched up?" Sasuke echoed, interrupting him.

Itachi paused for a moment before rolling his sleeve and exposing his wrist. An angry, jagged scar curved up it, a few inches long. "Yes. Stitched up."

"For fucks sake," Sasuke hissed, turning away. "_Itachi_."

"I told you it was a mistake," Itachi reiterated, covering the scar again. "It was a bad decision made on a whim. I'd had a couple of drinks, I wasn't thinking straight, and I was stressed. I jumped in the bath with a knife and proceeded to attempt to fix my problems with it. I realised I was an idiot and called an ambulance shortly after. That's all there is to it."

"But _why_?"

"I just told you why," Itachi sighed, sipping his coffee. "And stop turning this conversation around to me. Start talking about _you_."

"I told you, I'm tired and stressed," Sasuke told him, looking away so he wouldn't have to meet his sibling's eye. "I've spent the past week living with someone who's everything I could want in a partner and I _can't have him_."

"So I was right about Naruto then?"

Sasuke gave him a death glare, which was all the confirmation the older Uchiha needed.

"On top of that, I've spent the past couple of days pretending I'm madly in love with Sakura when I don't even like her _gender_," he continued.

"So you're actually gay then?"

"Well I'm not straight and in love with a guy, am I?" Sasuke replied curtly.

"You could have been bisexual- you didn't exactly outright tell me otherwise did you?"

"And then on top of _that_," Sasuke continued on, totally ignoring what his brother had said. "You admit you're suicidal."

"_Was_."

"Same difference."

"_Big_ difference."

"No, it-"

"Sasuke, shut up, alright?"

Sasuke promptly did so- mostly because his brother didn't give commands over requests very often, and when he did, he honoured them without question since it was usually warranted.

"Can't you just tell Mum and Dad it didn't work out with Sakura?" Itachi asked after a short silence.

"We'd like to. But if I say I ditched her, both our parents will kill me, and vice versa for her."

"And who can they blame if it didn't work out and you parted on good terms?"

Sasuke thought about that for a moment. "I suppose… Nobody."

"That would be a big step in the right direction, surely? That way when you do find someone- and you will, Sasuke- they won't be surprised. You don't have to tell them the gender of that person unless it gets serious, after all, if you didn't want to."

"And if it does get serious? Then what? They'll disown me."

Itachi laughed slightly. "No. They won't. They love you."

They sat peacefully for a while, sipping coffee and comfortable in the quiet.

"Do you know what terrified me the most when I was in hospital?" Itachi said when the coffee was long gone and they were simply daydreaming.

"What?"

"That Dad was going to disown me. After I came round, I told the friend who made the phone-call originally to them to let them know I was quitting University. He called me the next day and asked 'what are you playing at?' which was when he offered me the car and begged me to keep at the course. I couldn't deal with it so I hung up on him. Next thing I know, he's at the hospital waving a cheque in my face, so I threw him out."

"He seriously did that?"

"It's Dad's way of dealing, isn't it? Spend money. Fix it. Spend money on me, make me better, fix me, make me stay at University."

"I guess."

"I don't hold it against him. He showed up the next day, sat on the bed, and cried." He threw his hands up in apparent disbelief, even so long after the fact. "_Cried_, Sasuke. He made me cry, too- no-one wants to see their old man upset because of them, do they? He told me to come home for a week, and I accepted when I was discharged. He drove me back to their place and bought me the BMW so I could drive back myself. He never once bought up staying on the course after that- I made that decision myself."

Itachi reached out, taking Sasuke's hand affectionately. "And you know what? He might be angry because it's a dent in the plans he set out for us, but hopefully if he gets enough of these dents, he'll realise he can't live our lives for us and we're free to make our own decisions."

"What about Mum?" Sasuke asked quietly.

"That's a non-issue. We're her sons and she loves us no matter what."

"So you think I should tell them?"

"Absolutely."

Sasuke finally pulled his hand free, frowning slightly as he noticed the dark circles under his brother's eyes. "You look tired," he commented.

"Coffee will fix that for the drive home, if you don't mind me grabbing another before I leave. I'll get a couple of hours rest when I get home."

"Why don't you get some sleep here instead and drive back later?" Sasuke suggested. "Your exam is this afternoon- a couple of hours sleep here won't be a problem, right?"

"I can't take the risk," Itachi shook his head. "I wish I could, but if I get stuck in traffic or there's an accident on the way home, I'll be caught up all afternoon."

"Alright," Sasuke nodded, standing up and filling the kettle again.

"You look tired as well," Itachi noted quietly. "You should go to bed."

"What about you?"

"I'm sure I'm capable of making myself a coffee and letting myself out, Sasuke."

Sasuke wanted to argue, but tiredness was slowly consuming him, and he nodded in agreement. "Alright. Have a safe journey home, Itachi."

"I will. Let me know how you're getting on, alright? I'm usually too busy to remember to call people, so it's best I ask you to do the contacting."

Sasuke smiled at that, leaning on the doorframe. "I will. Later."

"Bye, Sasuke."

Deep in thought, Sasuke made his way to his bedroom, pushing open the door with a soft sigh. He flicked the light on and stopped short, glaring at his bed…

…Which was currently being occupied by one blond who definitely should _not_ have been there.

"_Idiot_," he hissed, too tired to try and wake him and fight with him to leave. Stripping his clothes, he shoved him aside slightly- with difficulty- and curled up in the bed as well. When Naruto woke, it would teach him a lesson about hijacking people's beds.

-.-.-

When Sasuke awoke a couple of hours or so later, he did _not_ expect to find Naruto cuddling him. He definitely didn't expect to find he was wide awake whilst doing so, and he almost flung Naruto out of the bed in his surprise.

"What the hell?" He asked of Naruto's action.

"You're warm," Naruto whined, snuggling closer to his side. "Don't kick me out just yet."

"What were you doing in my bed anyway?" Sasuke sighed, not pushing Naruto away- and resisting the urge to hug him tighter.

"I have no idea," Naruto admitted. "I guess my brain made me automatically head here when I came in since it knew your bed was comfortable."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, glancing at the clock on the bedside stand. "It's too early still. Why am I awake?"

"What time is it?"

"Eleven."

"That's not too early," Naruto protested, curling up closer to him.

"Why are you doing that?" Sasuke asked irritably, finally pushing him away and crawling out of the bed. "I'm not in the mood for your jokes."

"Your bed is so damn _comfortable_," Naruto sighed, stretching across it now he had it to himself. "How do you even get up in the mornings when you could just stay here all day?"

"Usually because you parade around my bedroom wearing very little when you come to wake me," Sasuke muttered under his breath, rifling through his wardrobe for a change of clothes.

"Don't think I don't hear that shower turning on those mornings!" Naruto replied as he caught what Sasuke had said, giggling slightly as he rolled around on the bed. "Does my naked chest give you a slight _problem_ in the mornings, Sasuke?"

Sasuke threw a shoe from his wardrobe at him, ignoring the squeak of protest from Naruto when it landed inches from his face.

"Get _out_ of my bed," he requested with a sigh. "I'm going to take a shower-" and when Naruto erupted into further giggling at that, he tossed another shoe at him "-then I'm going to call my father."

"Oh?" Naruto asked, sitting up and getting out of the bed begrudgingly.

"I'm going to tell him that Sakura and I 'broke up'."

Naruto winced. "Good luck with that one."

Sasuke grimaced, clutching the clothes he'd picked close to his chest as he nudged the door open. "Thanks. I'm going to need it."

-.-.-

Half an hour later, Sasuke had decided against eating breakfast. He was sitting at the kitchen table, the cordless phone resting on the wooden surface in front of him, waiting for him to grab the courage to pick it up and dial his father's number. Naruto had grabbed some toast and made himself scarce, leaving Sasuke to some privacy for the conversation. Sasuke was both thankful and terrified at that thought.

Steeling himself, he picked up the phone and tapped in the number, heart racing as it rang the other end. It connected, and he swallowed hard when he heard his father answer. Part of him had been hoping his mother would answer, and he could feign another reason for calling.

"Dad, it's Sasuke," he said, surprising himself with the strength in his voice.

"Sasuke?" his father replied, sounding slightly confused. "What can I do for you, son?"

"Well… I'm calling with some news," Sasuke began, finding himself unable to continue past that point.

"Yes?" Fugaku asked, his voice expectant, after a long enough pause. Sasuke realised with a start that his voice suggested this might be _happy_ news- a proposal, a pregnancy… _Not_ what was actually going to be said.

"Well… Things with Sakura… Things didn't work out with us. We've split up."

There was a silence on the other end of the phone, and Sasuke wondered vaguely if he'd have enough time to lay the phone down and run off to throw up before his father overcame his shock and spoke.

He didn't though- instead he waited with bated breath for his father to reply and after what seemed like an eternity, he did.

"So what went wrong?"

The response was quite neutral in tone, which Sasuke took as positive. "We just aren't suited, I guess. It was a mutual thing."

"Well, you'd better find the problem and fix it, right son?"

Sasuke scowled at that. How had he allowed himself to think his father might be even remotely alright with his youngest son throwing a spanner in the works in the life that had been planned for him?

"What if I'm happy _not_ fixing it?"

"You'd disappoint your old man even further, Sasuke? You deprive us of the honour of a good career and now you want to deprive us of continuing the family line?"

"Is it really fair to expect me to do things for _your_ gratification?" Sasuke snapped back, knowing the moment the words came out of his mouth that he shouldn't have said them.

He was right.

"We _raised_ you, Sasuke!" His father practically exploded. "We spent _our_ lives on raising _you_ for you to _have_ the life you lead! Anyone else would see it as a great respect to their parents to make them happy!"

"Of course I want to make you happy, but I don't want to lead a life I wouldn't enjoy!" Sasuke protested, trying to calm down so he didn't get into a shouting match. There were few things that could outright turn his mood from somewhere in the clouds to curled up in a corner wanting to die, and his father's anger was one of them.

"So what's wrong with Sakura? She's pretty and she would be a wonderful mother."

"I know," Sasuke told him- and he was being truthful. "She _is_ pretty and she _will_ be a good mother to some kids someday, but they won't be _my_ kids."

"She's cheating on you? Is that it?"

"No!" Sasuke yelled. "No, Dad! It's not her- it's nothing to do with her. We just aren't suited."

"And what will she have to do to become 'suitable' for you, Sasuke?"

Sasuke snapped, finally losing his temper at the matter-of-fact tone his father was using, as if this was a minor hiccup and _would_ be rectified. "She'd have to get a sex change."

The overwhelming silence that followed his statement made Sasuke wish the floor would open and swallow him. He grabbed the glass of water in front of him and sipped it, gripping the glass so hard he was surprised it didn't shatter. He continued to sip it, until his father finally spoke.

"Is that some kind of joke, Sasuke?"

Sasuke almost said 'yes', but the desire to not live a lie overtook him. "No, it's not a joke."

More silence. Sasuke finished the water, setting the empty glass down and resisting the want to fiddle with it.

"I didn't think you could disappoint me any further, Sasuke. Apparently I was wrong."

Before Sasuke had the chance to react, he was met with a dial tone. He stared at the phone dumbly for a moment, realising his father had hung up on him. He set the handset down on the table, swallowing hard and wondering whether he wanted to risk standing up. His body was telling him it wasn't going support his weight if he did, but he ignored it. He rose shakily, clutching the table for support and scolding himself for reacting this way.

"Who cares what he thinks," he muttered to himself, picking up the handset and heading slowly to the hallway to hand it back up. "I don't care what he thinks."

His body didn't seem to agree, not ceasing the nervous shaking that wracked him as he sprinted down the hall to the bathroom to throw up the water he'd drunk moments before. He chided himself again, rinsing his mouth and mentally thanking that fact he hadn't eaten after all.

He heard the door that he'd left ajar slowly nudge open, admitting Naruto to the doorway, looking troubled.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly. "How did it go?"

Sasuke responded by launching the plastic cup he was holding at the medicine cabinet in front of him with a cry, clutching the edge of the sink as it bounced off harmlessly and landed in the porcelain with a clatter.

"Not very well?" Naruto asked again, taking a small step forward with a hand outstretched to Sasuke.

"I don't care what he thinks," Sasuke responded, his voice shaky yet firm. "He can go die."

"You don't mean that," Naruto replied, his voice firm. "Don't wish things like that! He might just go and do just that and you'll feel terrible."

Sasuke didn't respond, seeing the logic in Naruto's words but unable to process them right now.

The phone ringing distantly from the hallway alerted their attention and Sasuke set off to answer it, waving a hand in Naruto's direction when he offered to get it. He didn't need Naruto answering it and catching the wrath of his father, should it be him.

It was- he realised it the moment he picked up the phone and the raging started before the handset had even reached his ear.

"-and don't call here again, don't speak to me again, you are _dead to me_," he caught, the words causing his breath to catch in his throat. As much as he told himself he didn't care what his father thought, he knew he was lying to himself.

"Dad, please- don't do this!" He found himself pleading against his better judgment- and pride.

"No! I won't hear it! You've made your choice, now you live with it!"

"Choice? Dad, I didn't _choose_ this! If I could have chosen to settle down with Sakura and be happy, I would have, believe me!"

"Don't give me that! You've always been the difficult one, Sasuke, and I won't stand for it any more! You'd better get a job quick, because I won't let your mother fill you bank account anymore!"

"You told her?" Sasuke asked softly.

"Damn right I told her! She's crying, Sasuke. She's crying because of _you_-"

Sasuke slammed the phone down, unable to take any more of what he was being told. He stared at it for a moment, half hoping his father would call back and apologise for what he had said and say it wasn't true. Reality was crueler than that though, and he eventually sank to the floor and leant against the wall when it didn't ring.

He stayed that way for a while- his arms wrapped around his knees whilst staring at the carpeted floor numbly. Naruto eventually came and sat with him, mute yet his presence was comforting.

"Sasuke…" He eventually said after a long while, causing Sasuke to break out of his trance and glance over at him. "Would it make you feel any better to know you didn't tell them for nothing?"

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, swallowing as his voice came out thick as treacle.

"I like you too," Naruto whispered. "I've been thinking about what you said at the beach and I really do. And I think we could be great together if you want to try…"

Sasuke stared at him for a second before pulling himself to his feet, grabbing at the wall unsteadily. Naruto got up to help him, but Sasuke pushed his helping hand away.

"Sasuke?" The blonde questioned as Sasuke headed for the front door, scooping his keys up from the stand next to it as he did so. Sasuke ignored him, pulling open the door in a daze and stepping out into the hallway without a word.

"Hey! Sasuke!"

He slammed the door, continuing to ignore Naruto's calls as he swiftly headed across the hallway and down the stairs. He needed to get out of here, and he needed to do it _right now_ before he cracked and resigned himself to curling up in his bed and staying there for eternity.

-.-.-

_Author's Note: Dear me I adore the sibling interaction here. It was such a joy to write and makes me smile and melt :3 Thanks for reading, and to everyone who has reviewed or is about to- a huge thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to do so :)_


	6. Chapter 6

**6.**

Sasuke clasped the piece of paper in his hands so hard it crumpled around his fingers, double checking the address scrawled on it matched the street sign he was currently standing at. It did, so he took a deep breath and continued walking.

He'd never been to Oxford before. He'd managed to easy part- the Underground to Paddington station and the subsequent direct journey, but getting off the train onto the unfamiliar platform had him wondering if this had been the right thing to do. Regardless, he was here now, and backing out seemed ridiculous.

He was thankful that Itachi had given him his current address whilst they were at their parents, and that Sasuke had put it into his wallet and not removed it yet. He'd been stood at Victoria station after fleeing his flat, feeling lost and unsure of what he was even _doing_ there. He'd wandered around aimlessly, half debating getting a train to his parents house, when he'd pulled his wallet out to buy a drink and the piece of notebook paper with his sibling's address on it had fluttered to the ground. He took that as a sign of direction and had acted upon it.

Sasuke had asked directions to the address from the ticket attendant at Oxford station, who assured him it was about a ten minute walk away, citing rough directions. He'd had set off, fingering the mobile phone in his pocket and wondering whether it would be good to actually _call_ his brother and tell him he was here.

Eventually, he'd decided against it. If he told Itachi, he would have to stay, and there was still a part of his mind fighting with him about whether that was a good thing or not- right now he could still turn around and leave, and Itachi would never know he'd been. He thought he'd grown out of running to his older brother when he had problems, but he craved what Itachi had given last time he'd seen him- comfort and support. It made him feel like he was a child all over again, but that wasn't such a bad thing, since children generally didn't have the problems he currently did.

He stopped outside of a small house that shared the number on his paper. He glanced from the paper to the number dumbly a few times before taking a deep breath and pushing open the gate. A small part of his mind wondered how Itachi was affording to live in a _house_, but he knew it was probably a combination of house prices being lower north of London, and the good old Bank of Mother and Father.

Standing on the doorstep, he brought his hand up to ring the doorbell, pausing as he did so. Would his brother be pleased to see him? Did he really want to pick up the pieces to this?

He pushed the doorbell, shaking his head slightly as he heard it chime distantly inside the house. He'd done it now. No turning back.

The glass door in front of him stayed closed. Perhaps his brother wasn't home, after all this debating. Sasuke felt like smacking himself- of course, his brother had left that morning for an _exam_ that afternoon. He had no idea what the time was, but it was possible he wasn't home yet.

Contrary to his thoughts, he detected movement inside the house- able to see a distorted figure through the frosted glass. He almost froze, stepping back slightly as the door opened and his brother stood before him.

"Sasuke?" Itachi asked, clearly surprised.

Sasuke opened his mouth to say hello, or perhaps explain why he was there, but he found himself consumed by the overwhelming feeling of _relief_ that his brother was actually home, despite his reservations about the visit.

"Help me?" He uttered eventually, his eyes tearing up as he did so. He made no effort to stop them- it had been threatening since he'd had the conversation with his father.

Itachi took him inside in seconds, closing the door and pulling him through to a small living room by the arm. Sasuke let himself by led, able to mostly keep his composure until he was sitting on Itachi's comfortable cream sofa. Once there, he curled himself up in the corner of it and wept brokenly into a cushion, leaving Itachi to grab a blanket and throw it over him gently and sit quietly next to him waiting for him to talk.

"I told them," Sasuke eventually spoke, when he had calmed himself enough to actually do so. "Dad wasn't happy."

Itachi exhaled gently, leaning over and kindly took hold of Sasuke, pulling him out of the corner of the sofa and prying the cushion he'd been curled around from him. He pulled him to him, letting him curl against his side.

"I'm sorry to turn up like this," Sasuke told him, letting himself by held and welcoming the wave of comfort that washed over him from it.

"Its fine, its fine," Itachi soothed. "I wasn't doing anything interesting this evening anyway."

"I'll go if I'm interrupting something."

"No, you will _not_," Itachi replied firmly. "My girlfriend's visiting but I'll cancel her- she's an understanding girl."

"But-"

"But nothing. I can see her anytime, and it's not every day my little brother turns up on my doorstep asking for my help. How long did it take you to get here, anyway?"

"Couple of hours."

"You should have called- I'd have picked you up."

Sasuke shrugged awkwardly. "I wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do. I'm not a kid anymore- I thought I'd grown out of running to you when stuff went wrong."

Itachi laughed slightly at that. "You're never too old for a comforting hug, Sasuke, even if you did try everything to get out of that as a teenager."

Sasuke laughed too, thankful he'd decided to come after all- it was nice to just chat with his sibling, even if it was small talk in fill the silence.

"So what do I do now?" He asked after a while, content enough by the presence of his brother's strength to talk.

"You give them time," came the sensible answer. "They won't accept it instantly- they aren't the type. Dad isn't, at least. Did you speak to Mum?"

"No. Just Dad."

"Call back in a couple of days. Try and get Mum on the phone if Dad's still too angry to speak. You were tactful about telling him, weren't you?"

"I told him things didn't work out with Sakura, and he asked why. I told him it was a mutual agreement to split because we weren't suited, and he told me I'd better work out why we weren't a good match and fix it. So I told him she'd have to have a sex change."

Itachi sighed, exasperated. "That wasn't the best way to deal with it, Sasuke."

"I _know_ that. He told me that wasn't a very funny joke, and I told him it wasn't a joke, so he hung up on me. He called back shortly after to disown me, so I hung up on him in return."

"He won't uphold that," Itachi reassured him immediately. "He's just angry. I won't _let_ him uphold that. If I have to go and speak to him myself, I will, if he doesn't see sense."

Sasuke smiled slightly at that, tightening his grip on his brother. "Hopefully that won't be necessary. But I can't force him to accept it, can I?"

"You can ask him to at least be tolerant."

They stayed curled up mutely for a while, Sasuke feeling himself beginning to drift. A glance at the clock on the wall told him it was six pm, and he frowned. He'd had no idea he'd been wandering Victoria station for so long.

"Tired?" Itachi asked, sensing it as well. "Do you want to sleep here?"

Sasuke sat up, shaking his head. "No, I don't want to impose. I should probably leave soon."

"You practically just got here," Itachi scolded. "And you're not alright. I'm not letting you go anywhere, Sasuke. At least have some dinner with me? You can take a shower to wake yourself up if you want."

"That would probably be a good idea," Sasuke agreed, standing up when his brother did.

"Then I'll show you how to use it- come on upstairs."

It was only when Sasuke followed Itachi up the stairs and into the small bathroom that he realised something. A shower… Over a bath, in the single bathroom in the house- and Sasuke's memory recalled something disturbing about that.

"Here, wasn't it?" He asked bluntly as Itachi fiddled with the shower.

Itachi turned, eyes narrowed slightly in confusion, until he caught Sasuke's weary eyes trained on the bathtub.

"Yes," he answered equally bluntly. "Do we have to keep going back to that, Sasuke?"

"Can I just get a coffee instead?" Sasuke asked, unable to take his eyes off the white surface that he knew now had once been splashed with the crimson of his brother's own self-shed blood.

"If you want," Itachi agreed, turning the shower off as Sasuke stepped out of the room without waiting for the response. "But I honestly think you're better off sleeping instead. You looked exhausted."

"Maybe," Sasuke agreed from outside the door.

"I'll show you my bedroom. You'll have to excuse the mess, obviously I wasn't expecting you."

"I don't mind the sofa."

Itachi was having none of that, leading him down the hall and into a reasonably sized bedroom. The double bed was a mess of unmade sheets and the curtains were still drawn, which Itachi looked apologetic for, stepping in to rip the sheets off.

"Its fine, you don't have to change the bedding, stop fussing," Sasuke told him from the doorway.

"You came here to be fussed over, didn't you?"

Sasuke didn't reply to that, choosing to change the subject. "What's with the double bed anyway?"

"When my girlfriend stays- it's more comfortable than two people sharing a single."

Sasuke thought back to the night before where he'd done just that with Naruto, smiling slightly. "She's not living with you?"

"No. It's not that serious," Itachi answered with a shake of his head. "We just meet up for drinks and… Well, other benefits."

"I don't want to know, do I?"

"I don't want to tell you either."

Once the bed was successfully made, it looked very inviting to Sasuke. He'd intended on getting dinner as Itachi had suggested, but the fresh sheets and feather duvet looked far too comfortable for his tired body to resist.

"I'll go call my girlfriend then," Itachi told him, snapping him out of his trance-like staring of the bed.

"You don't have-"

"I know I don't have to," Itachi interrupted, and no more needed to be said.

Sasuke gave him a silent nod of thanks, pulling his mobile from his pocket and frowning as he noticed it had a large number of missed calls. He had turned it to silent and refrained from looking at it for the afternoon, and it was of no surprise to him that the calls were all from his home number. Deciding to put Naruto out of his misery, he dialled the number and waited.

It rang a few times, and Sasuke wondered if Naruto would even answer it in his absence, but he soon heard the telltale click and a worried hello from his flat mate.

"Naruto, it's me. I had some missed cal-"

"_Sasuke_!" Naruto interrupted near-frantically. "Where are you?! Are you alright?!"

"Calm down, I'm fine. I came to see my brother."

"You're in _Oxford_?!"

"It's only a couple of hours away- you sound like I just left the country," Sasuke responded, slightly amused.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm better now."

"Are you coming back soon…?"

The question was laced with longing, making Sasuke feel instantly guilty.

"I'll come home tomorrow," he promised.

"If you needed space, I could have left for a couple of days…"

"It's not about space," Sasuke told him, shaking his head even though there was no way Naruto could see it. "Besides, where would you have gone?"

The silence that followed his question told Sasuke all he needed to know about that- Naruto didn't _have_ anywhere else to go.

"I needed to see my brother, that's all. He's good at putting me back together when I fall apart, I suppose."

"I'm sorry if I added to… Well, you know. You being upset and all."

"It's been a long couple of days," Sasuke sighed. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad you told me, even if it wasn't the best timing."

"I thought it was good timing," Naruto answered timidly. "I thought it would make you happy."

Sasuke smiled slightly at that, sinking down onto the edge of the bed. Itachi made to leave his post by the doorway but Sasuke held a hand up to stop him. Instead, he beckoned him in wordlessly which Itachi upheld, sitting on the bed with him.

"Thanks for trying, I guess. Ignore the phone if it rings tonight, alright? It won't be me since I'm about to sleep, so it'll probably be Dad to rant some more."

"Okay… If you're going to bed, I'll let you go."

"Thanks. Sleep well."

"You too. See you tomorrow."

"Bye."

Sasuke hung up, sighing and throwing the phone on the bedside table to lie down on the bed. He clutched at the feather duvet, holding it tightly within his fists at it as though it were a lifeline.

"Did you ever actually tell him how you felt?" Itachi asked gently.

"I probably should have mentioned that," Sasuke answered. "Turns I managed to get lucky enough to fall for someone who actually felt the same."

"Well, that's fortunate. Many of us go through life pursuing people we can't have and yet for all your complaints, you managed to find someone to respond in kind straight away."

"Mm," Sasuke uttered, too drained to participate further than that in the conversation.

Itachi put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently before getting off of the bed. "You seem tired," he guessed correctly. "I'll leave you to sleep. I'll take tomorrow off to drive you home. I heard you tell Naruto you'd be home then but if you want to stay longer, you can."

"Just tonight will be fine. Thank you."

Itachi gave him one last pat on the shoulder before heading out of the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Sasuke stared up at the foreign ceiling for a while, sleep seeming distant suddenly. He frowned at that- he'd been so unbelievably tired, and yet here he was, staring up at nothing and unable to drift.

His mind turned over the events of the day, and he closed his eyes in a bid to make it stop. He needed to think about nice things- not hearing his father say '_you are dead to me'_ over and over.

He crawled under the covers, covering himself completely with the duvet. He'd hidden from the world this way as a child, and he had to wonder if it still worked.

He stayed there for a while before realising- no, it didn't work when the enemy was your own thoughts. He sighed, bringing his head out and resting it on the unfamiliar pillow. He lay on his back, tracing the ceiling pattern over and over in a bid to tempt sleep to take him.

When he'd done it enough to stop caring about slumber, he found it came awfully easily- though not without his father's voice playing in his mind.

-.-.-

He awoke to Itachi shaking his shoulder gently an unmeasured length of time later, feeling still utterly exhausted. However much sleep he'd had wasn't enough, his body screamed, but he ignored it and glanced up at his brother.

"It's nine am," Itachi was saying. "I didn't think you'd want to sleep all day. You must have been tired- you've been asleep for a long time."

"Mm," Sasuke uttered, sitting up slowly and holding a hand to his forehead. He'd awoken with a headache, which didn't help to put him in a good mood. He presumed it was too _much_ sleep, since he was used to surviving on five hours a night or less most of the time.

"How about some food?" His sibling offered, walking across the room and swinging the curtains open. Sasuke shielded his eyes from the light, scowling.

"I'm not hungry," he replied, his voice thick with the remnants of sleep. "I'm going to head off when I'm up, though."

"You're not imposing, Sasuke, you don't have to race off immediately. I'm driving, remember? I'm not taking you yet. Come downstairs to the kitchen when you're ready."

Itachi made his way downstairs, Sasuke heading out into the hallway a minute or so later when he'd spent a moment staring out the window to wake up. He hesitated at the bathroom door before pushing it open, closing it behind him and training his eyes straight on the bathtub.

It seemed so normal. His mind chastised him- of course it was. It wasn't like it was going to display any remnants of what had happened. Someone would have cleaned it, and Sasuke winced at the thought that it may have had to have been his brother after returning home.

He sat on the edge of the bathtub, running a hand across it gently, imagining that he was wiping it free of blood. It was morbid, but he couldn't stop the thought. He loved his brother dearly, more than he'd ever admit, and he hated the thought of him in pain. He was the stronger, elder one after all.

He stood up, heading to the sink to wash. He still wasn't going to use the damn bath to shower, even if it did try to trick him into believing nothing had happened within it with its clean surfaces.

-.-.-

The question he'd wondered about continued to plague him, to the point where the second he entered the kitchen where Itachi was waiting, he simply asked it.

"Who cleaned up the blood?"

"Sasuke, _please_," Itachi snapped, exasperated. "How many times do I have to say I don't want to talk about it?"

"That doesn't seem fair," Sasuke countered, sitting down opposite his sibling and glaring across the table. "You make me talk about me."

"It was months ago now, it's not important anymore."

"Why didn't you call me?"

Itachi looked confused. "What?"

"Why didn't you call me? Why wasn't I even _told_?"

"I didn't want to bother you."

"Oh come on, give me a break!" Sasuke responded angrily. "This sibling business works both ways, right? If I can swallow my pride and show up on your doorstep and say 'I need help', you can damn well do it too!"

"I'm the older brother, you're the younger brother," Itachi said with a shrug.

"And? Am I incapable of offering my shoulder to you because I'm a few years younger than you?"

"No, it just means it feels wrong to do that to you."

Sasuke sighed, trying to calm his temper slightly.

"You really want to know?" Itachi said after a moment, his voice tense and his gaze averted to the table in front of them. "I failed an important exam because I was too busy getting drunk and acting up. When I told Dad I hadn't done very well and I'd have to re-sit, he was his usual not-very-understandingself about the issue and told me 'don't end up like your brother'."

"He what?" Sasuke echoed, eyes narrowing slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"He's not proud of your decision to go against him and not study medicine, but please don't hold it against him- he was angry. He did apologise for it later."

"If you say so," Sasuke muttered, pushing aside his distaste for his father's words for his brother's sake.

"He told me if I ended up pulling out, that he'd never forgive me. Something inside me snapped- I'd had enough of being told what to do, and the next thing I know I'm looking at my knife block wondering which knife would be best to make it all stop, and it all seemed like a _good idea_."

Sasuke stared at him, hearing the regret in his brother's words. Guilt sliced through him, and he opened his mouth to apologise. Itachi beat him to it though, continuing to talk.

"When Dad showed up at the hospital the second time, I told him he was the reason I was there. That's why he cried. And that's why I know he won't disown you, Sasuke- because he's just angry right now, and he doesn't know how else to react, so he reacts with anger. You did the same thing, though not to the same extent I admit."

Sasuke reached out, taking Itachi's hand, running a finger across the clothing where he knew the scar was. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed it."

"No, it's alright," Itachi told him, finally looking up to meet his gaze. "No-one told you, I can imagine it was a shock. I guess you weren't told because Dad didn't want to explain the reason when the reason was him."

"I guess."

"But, listen to me," Itachi said firmly, squeezing Sasuke's hand and letting it go. "Do you see now why it's okay? Dad said sorry. He took me home and looked after me. He hasn't pushed me to this _day_ about University. I don't have to feel so pressured now- only by the course itself, which is fine, so I don't feel like I have to take such drastic action again."

"You'd better not," Sasuke scolded, but his voice was good natured.

"I _won't_. And to answer your question, no, I didn't clean the bathroom- Dad did while he was here. I'm sure it wasn't pleasant for him, but he told me it was the least he could do."

Sasuke didn't respond to that, closing his eyes to the thought. He wouldn't have wanted to do it either.

"Now come on, let's get you something to eat," Itachi told him, standing and signalling the end of the conversation. "Then perhaps we'll make a move and get you home if you _really_ want?"

Sasuke nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Naruto's probably pacing the house wondering what to do with himself without me there."

Itachi laughed at that, putting some bread into the toaster. "That sounds awfully cute."

"Careful," Sasuke warned. "That's my boyfriend you're calling cute."

"Relax, you can have him," Itachi replied, waving a hand in his direction. "Even if I ignore the fact he's a _guy_, I don't go for blonds."

Sasuke smirked slightly at that. "You know what? Neither do I."

-.-.-

"I feel like we've been here before," Itachi joked as he parked outside of Sasuke's house. "Funny that."

Sasuke swiped a hand at him good naturedly, opening the car door and getting out. "Don't worry, I won't have a breakdown this time. Are you coming in?"

"No, I'd better not. If I drive straight back I may be able to take my girlfriend out for a late lunch."

"Well… Thank you," Sasuke said quietly, feeling suddenly humbled in his brother's company. "I appreciate you taking me in like that."

"It's nothing," Itachi shrugged. "Now go on- don't keep Naruto waiting!"

Sasuke grinned, giving his sibling a quick wave as he turned and headed up the stairs. He was feeling a lot more positive now, especially since the majority of the car ride home had been pleasant chat about nothing.

Putting the key in the lock, he found himself jogging up the stairs, entering his home swiftly and calling out to Naruto. Frowning when he got no response, he headed through to the living room and pushed the door open. Nothing. The kitchen was empty too, as was the bathroom. That left the bedrooms…

He pushed open his own bedroom door first, suspecting Naruto would abuse the fact he was away to sleep in the 'comfortable' bed. He grinned, stepping inside quietly and closing the door. He had been correct, it seemed. Curled up in the cover was Naruto, his golden hair spayed across the pillow as he slept almost soundlessly.

"This is unlike you," Sasuke murmured to himself, settling down on the edge of the bed. "Still asleep in the afternoon. I think I'll have to do something about that."

He got up, stripping his shirt off and mussing his hair. He turned to the full length mirror on his wardrobe, posing a couple of times in an attempt to find the most seductive pose he could.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Sasuke stopped, spinning around to see Naruto looking up at him sleepily. He pushed aside his surprise, sitting on the edge of the bed again and smirking at Naruto. "I'm giving you a good morning wake up call."

With that, he ripped the covers off and straddled Naruto's waist, grabbing his hands and pinning them above his head. Naruto looked simultaneously pleased and frightened, struggling against Sasuke's surprisingly strong grip.

"Sasuke, what-"

Sasuke silenced him by leaning down to kiss him, rough and hungry, leaving his lips sore yet satisfied when he finally pulled away. He ran his tongue across his lips, watching Naruto do the same. He had stopped struggling against being pinned, blinking a few times.

"Am I dreaming?" He asked after a moment. "Because I'm pretty sure I must be."

"No," Sasuke shook his head. "This is your wake up call."

Naruto looked suitably pleased at that.

"What's got into you anyway?" He said after a moment. "Yesterday you ran off without a word and now you want to screw me?"

"What do you take me for?" Sasuke asked. "Not on the first date!"

"This is hardly a _date_. It's more like you ambushing me in my sleep."

"You weren't asleep and you were asking for it being in _my_ bed."

"So if you don't fuck on 'first dates', what _do_ you do?"

"Oh I don't know," Sasuke purred seductively. "Probably pretty much anything else. It's been a while since I had some company in the bedroom."

"So you're desperate then?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, reaching out and running a hand down Naruto's chest gently. Naruto shuddered, gasping when Sasuke's hand found its way past his waistband and into his underwear.

"Even if I am, do you care?" Sasuke asked, his voice sweet and alluring in the blond's ear.

"Not really, no," Naruto asked, his voice slightly strangled as Sasuke began to stroke. "I don't care about much if you keep doing _that_."

"I didn't think so," Sasuke whispered, running his tongue around the edge of Naruto's ear. Naruto shuddered again, whimpering slightly as Sasuke switched from licking to nibbling softly.

"So are you just going to tease?" He uttered.

Sasuke stopped nibbling, switching back to licking without a word. He ran his tongue from the edge of Naruto's ear slowly down his neck, causing Naruto to quiver. Having had enough, Naruto pushed him off and jumped on top of him like a feral animal, attaching himself to Sasuke's neck with every intention of making his mark- literally.

"I don't think so," Sasuke scolded, pulling free and holding a hand over his sore neck. "I want to be able to look Sakura in the face without her laughing at me for having such a blatant love bite."

"Why would she do that?"

"Because I always laugh at her when she has them."

"Then you deserve it," Naruto concluded with an evil grin. Sasuke quickly sealed the blond's lips with his own to stop him from continuing his antics, pinning Naruto down again as he had done earlier.

"Do you like that?" He breathed as Naruto barely resisted, allowing himself to be held down.

"It's kind of kinky," Naruto replied. "I like it."

"It's not kinky at all," Sasuke responded. "If you want kinky, I'm sure I can show you."

"Oh?" Naruto queried, longing in his voice.

"Not today."

"Oh. So you're a deviant, are you?"

Sasuke grinned at that, giving him a wink. "Depends who's asking."

"And if it's me?"

"You think being partially pinned is kinky- if it's you posing the question, then I'm most _definitely_ a deviant and then some."

Naruto looked indignant, but he didn't get the chance to complain as Sasuke stopped talked and put his mouth to _better_ use. And he was damned _good_ with his tongue, Naruto soon realised, moaning loudly before he could stop himself.

"You like that?" Sasuke asked, looking up at him with a glint in his eye. Naruto nodded frantically, his fingers reaching out to clutch the cover, Sasuke, the edge of the bed- _anything_, as Sasuke continued his ministrations. He moaned again, grabbing the pillow and biting it to quiet himself. He had no idea if Sasuke's neighbours could hear through the walls, but he didn't want any complaints regardless.

-.-.-

_Author's Note: Oh la la, risky for me! XD Still not happy with writing lemon- imagination for the rest my dears ;)_

_Thank you so much for continuing to read and review. I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope it's just as enjoyable to read :)_


	7. Chapter 7

**7.**

Sasuke awoke an hour later feeling instantly uncomfortable- both of them had been exhausted by their activities and had slipped into a quick nap. Naruto was curled up around Sasuke's bare chest, blissfully unaware of the sticky sheets Sasuke was _absolutely utterly_ aware of, sleeping peacefully. Sasuke grimaced, shaking Naruto to wake him and move him so he could get up and shower _right now_.

"Hmm?" Naruto uttered sleepily, looking up at him with wide blue eyes.

"Move," Sasuke asked, pushing him gently. Naruto was too tired to disagree, shifting over on the slight bed space. Sasuke clambered out, grabbing his dressing gown before noticing the stickiness of the sheets was on _him_ too. He hung it back up, deciding to just go straight into the shower and throw his clothes in the wash.

He opened the bedroom door, walking down the hall to the bathroom, thankful his hallway didn't have any windows to display his unclothed self through. Reaching the wooden door he pushed on it, frowning when he found it locked. Naruto was in bed, and he was standing right here. Why was the door locked?

He jumped backwards as the door opened a moment later, eyes wide, feeling extremely exposed in his nakedness. He had no-where to hide though, so he simply stood there and locked eyes with the visitor- Sakura.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

Sakura was too busy looking him up and down to answer, giving him a coy grin as she spanned the lower region of his body. He gave her a death glare and indicated she avert her eyes _up_ with his hands. She did so, her eyes settling on the raw love bite and she giggled knowingly, pointing to it.

"I'm sorry, do you have some company?"

"What are you _doing_ here?" Sasuke hissed at her.

"Oh, sorry, I did try to call before I came up but you didn't answer. I need to talk to you- I was going to wait here until you got back since I thought you were out, but since you're here-"

"In a minute," Sasuke interrupted. "I'll meet you in the kitchen and then we'll talk. I think I know what this is going to be about. Did my Dad call your parents?"

Sakura looked down at the floor. "Yes, he did."

"I thought he might."

Sakura waved a hand absently. "No, it's actually alright. We'll talk about it in a minute, when you're ready."

She set off down the hallway, leaving Sasuke to head into the bathroom.

"Oh, Sasuke?" She called over her shoulder just as he was about to close the door. He peeked around the doorframe, giving her an inquisitive look. "Where's Naruto?"

Sasuke felt his cheeks burning, and Sakura brought a hand to her mouth in realization, her mouth forming a small 'o' as she did so.

"I see," she said demurely. "It seems we'll have a _lot_ to talk about then, Sasuke."

-.-.-

Freshly showered and dressed, Sasuke found himself feeling quite awkward sitting in the living room with Sakura. Naruto had bounded out of bed and straight into the shower once Sasuke had vacated it, cursing because he was due at work within the hour, leaving the two of them to have the chat Sakura had requested.

"So…" Sakura said, breaking the silence. "You and Naruto, eh? I thought he wasn't your type."

Sasuke declined to answer, folding his arms and glaring at Sakura to drop the subject. She glared right back at him, clearly not pleased with accepting that for an answer.

"So you guys getting together is why you told your Dad?" She asked instead, resigning to bringing up the topic of Naruto after the more pressing matter on hand had been dealt with.

"No," Sasuke shook his head, refusing to go into what exactly had happened over the last couple of days. "What did my Dad say to your parents…?"

"He raged for a while about what a huge disappointment our relationship ending was and how he didn't want to speak to you until you'd 'come to your senses' regarding your 'sudden and irrational attraction to the same gender'."

"Sudden and irrational," Sasuke sighed. "He's a brilliant man, he really is, but he doesn't know a _thing_ about emotion."

"Well… My Dad thanked him for the call and came to speak to me," Sakura continued quietly, wringing her hands together in her lap. "He wanted to know how long we'd been lying about not being together. I told him the truth. He said he wished we'd been honest."

"And being honest gets us here," Sasuke said dryly. "He disowned me for this."

"I know. My Dad also told me he wasn't pleased with that."

"He isn't?" Sasuke echoed, genuinely surprised. His parents and Sakura's parents went back a long way, and he'd never known them to disagree with each other on anything.

"He told me that you're welcome at our home any time, even. He said if needed he could talk to your Dad and try and get him to 'see sense himself'."

Sasuke stared at Sakura for a moment, touched. "He did?"

"They see you as a son," Sakura shrugged. "I'm not surprised- really, I'm not. I thought they'd be more furious with me when they learnt we weren't a couple any more but they told me they wanted me to be happy."

Sakura choked, looking away as tears filled her eyes. Sasuke got up and walked across to her, kneeling down in front of her and putting a hand on her thigh.

"Sakura, why are _you_ crying?" He asked playfully. "Your parents _accepted_ it."

"I know, I'm just… I don't know, it was nice to hear him say he wants me to be _happy_," Sakura sobbed. "I thought they were going to hate me but-"

"You're their only kid, they wouldn't ever hate you," Sasuke reassured her gently, cutting in to stop her.

"Your Dad doesn't hate you either," Sakura told him, putting her hand over his. "Honestly, he doesn't."

"You can tell me that all you want, I don't know if I can believe it right now," Sasuke replied. "He was really angry with me."

He let Sakura calm herself down, getting up and retaking his seat across the room. His gaze was drawn to the window next to him, watching the busy people down below. He'd seen the activity of the area as a bonus when he'd first moved in, since sitting in a large flat by yourself could feel awfully lonely sometimes. Sitting in the window just watching the world go by went some way to making him feel slightly less alone.

"So what's been happening?" Sakura asked after a while. "I haven't spoken to you for a while. How was the visit to your parents anyway?"

"The usual. 'How's Sakura, why haven't you asked her to marry you yet', all of that. That's why I needed to put a stop to this, I couldn't stand it."

"It had nothing to do with Naruto?" She asked, the coy smile she'd had earlier reappearing.

"_No_. I had no idea he was attracted to me until yesterday. He decided to tell me after I'd made the call to my Dad- he thought it might make me feel better, but it just messed with my head even further."

Sakura laughed slightly at that. "That would have cheered _me_ up. You're just weird- and such a _whore_, he only told you yesterday and you're already-"

"No!" Sasuke interjected quickly. "We didn't. Just… Other stuff. Not _that_."

"So you think it's going to work out with you guys?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I dunno. I hope so. I've never found anybody who makes me feel the way he does."

Sakura smiled at him kindly. "I'm glad. It's nice to see you finally find someone. Now I don't have to feel bad for looking for someone myself!"

"You always could have."

"I didn't want to. Anyway, that means you guys will come out with me tonight, right? I don't have work for the next couple of days and we've not been out on the town since the night we met Naruto."

"I'm not sure I'll be the best company," Sasuke said softly.

"I think it would do you good to have a couple of drinks, actually. I've never seen you drunk before, just light headed and tipsy. That's no fun!"

"That's because spending my time in shoddy nightclub bathrooms throwing up isn't fun either."

"You don't have to have _that_ much," Sakura scolded, rolling her eyes. "You just have to know your limits! Come on, it'll be fun!"

Sasuke relented, sighing and knowing he was going to regret this. "Fine. I don't know when Naruto's working, though, so I don't know if he'll be up for it."

-.-.-

Naruto was working a double shift that day into the early evening, but he was excited about the thought of joining the two for later. 'Go on without me and I'll call you when I finish to come and meet you', he had said, since he had the next day off. So, Sasuke had been dragged out by Sakura around seven in the evening, a feeling of dread for the evening ahead overtaking him. He usually acted as chaperone, but Sakura had made it clear that wasn't going to happen this time.

He had complained when they entered the nightclub and Sakura had walked straight to the bar and ordered him five neat shots of vodka. The pink haired girl had waved a hand at him, propping herself up against the bar on a stool and ordering a margherita.

After being cajoled into 'just downing the shots and shutting up', Sasuke complained a lot less. He wasn't used to alcohol- he rarely drank, so when he did, it affected him more. Sakura was breezing her way through cocktails, seemingly unaffected, laughing as he leant unsteadily back against the bar and blinked a few times to focus.

"Now, doesn't that make you feel better?" She yelled above the dance music emanating throughout the club. "Good music and a few drinks- the recipe to feeling good!"

She raised her glass to him, finishing whatever exotic cocktail she'd ordered and ordering another. Sasuke opened his mouth to answer that no, he did not feel better- more through disorientation than thinking about his other problems right then- but the words didn't come.

"Another drink?" Sakura asked, ordering him another vodka before he could answer.

"Drinking myself into oblivion isn't going to make me feel better," he eventually replied, his voice quite normal for someone who had been drinking, surprising himself.

"You haven't drunk enough yet then," Sakura winked at him, putting the shot down in front of him.

"This really was your plan tonight then?"

"I know you," Sakura replied, still yelling to be heard above the music, though her tone suggested she wished she was speaking quietly as the subject matter didn't fit the volume she was speaking at. "You sit and brood. You'll sit in your flat thinking about what your Dad said to you and keep it to yourself _as usual_."

"No," Sasuke told her, shaking his head. "No I wouldn't."

"I don't believe you."

"Ask my brother."

With that, he slipped down off of the bar stool, knocking back the shot purely not to waste it before heading to the entrance of the club. Sakura watched him go, looking concerned, before finishing her drink and following him.

Once outside, Sasuke was already halfway up the road, only stopping when Sakura called out to him. He waited for her to catch up, listening to her heels clip the pavement as jogged to him as best she could.

"I didn't want to have this conversation at that volume," Sasuke told her by explanation when she reached his side.

"That doesn't explain why you were heading off down the road without me," Sakura chided crossly.

"I don't want to have it standing at the entrance, either."

They walked slightly further down the road, at a slower pace for Sakura's sake. She prodded him gently when she felt they'd stayed silent long enough, halting her stride so he would do the same.

He did, sighing and leaning against the wall, which happened to belong to a closed jewelers store. Sakura joined him, eyes narrowed in concern.

"What did you mean by ask your brother?" She asked softly.

"I turned up on his doorstep after the call with my Dad."

"Oh... If you needed to speak to someone, my door's always open, you know that right?"

"I know. Thanks."

"Did it help?"

"Seeing Itachi? Yeah. He looked after me for a bit and brought me home."

"So how is he? I haven't seen him in a while."

"He…" Sasuke paused, unsure how to answer that. "He didn't have a good start to the year, but he's better now," he settled with.

"Well, that's good. And how about you? How are you doing?"

Sasuke shrugged awkwardly, feeling his breath catch in his throat. He swallowed past it, turning away from Sakura. He'd been steadily pushing away what his father had told him, not allowing himself to think about it, because the moment he did he felt his heart skip a beat and he felt immediately nauseous. But with alcohol to take the edge off, he felt incredibly exposed and thus, very vulnerable right then.

"Sasuke?" He heard her say, feeling her hand lightly touch his arm.

"I'm fine," he said quickly. "Let's go somewhere warmer shall we? You look like you're freezing to death in that skirt."

"Sasuke…" Sakura said warningly. "You're not fine."

"And do you really think talking about what's happened is going to make me feel better?" Sasuke snapped, turning around to face her. "The outcome's the same whether I talk or not!"

"This is what I meant by you'd sit around brooding," Sakura told him, putting her hands on her hips and not cowering under Sasuke's harsh voice at all. "Whether it _changes_ anything is irrelevant- talking makes you _feel better_. Did you go to Itachi and sit around not-talking about this?"

"No," Sasuke replied curtly. "I curled up on his sofa and cried like a five year old. That's not something I want to repeat, Sakura."

"If it makes you feel better, then you _should_."

"Why are you so insistent?" Sasuke half-yelled at her. "I'm fine!"

"Because I love you, you're like my brother!" Sakura yelled back. "And I don't care if you're using me as a way of venting your frustration, go right ahead! If that's the only thing I can do to help you then I'll stand here and take it!"

Sasuke stopped, the harsh words in his throat dying away. She was right- and he hated what he was doing. Unbidden tears sprang to his eyes despite his best efforts not to let them, and he pinned his fingers to the tear ducts to make them go away.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly after a moment. "Let's go back. You're right, I could probably do with some more to drink."

"Sasuke, you-"

He walked right past her, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop.

"_What_?" He asked harshly and she gave him a look he couldn't recognize.

"That's the first time you've ever said sorry to me," Sakura replied in a whisper.

Sasuke stared at her for a moment before pulling his arm away and heading back towards the nightclub, hearing the clattering of Sakura's heels behind him as she followed. The idea of drinking until he remembered nothing at all was more and more appealing by the second.

-.-.-

By the time Naruto called to meet them, Sakura was the one answering Sasuke's phone- it had been sitting on the bar in front of them since they were expecting the call, and they wouldn't have heard it ring over the noise of the club. Sasuke was currently leaning on the bar, head in his arms, fast asleep. Sakura had left him there to sleep off some of the excess alcohol he'd consumed since they'd come back in.

She shook him gently, causing him to glance sleepily up at her.

"Naruto's on his way," she told him. "We're meeting him further up town. Come on."

She took Sasuke's arm as he pushed himself off of the bar stool, looking slightly pale. Frowning, she led him to the exit, realising getting him out into the fresh air would help wake him.

Once outside and walking, Sasuke seemed to have sobered slightly, and some of the pallor was returning to his skin. Sakura eyed him anxiously, keeping a hand on his arm as they walked- slowly.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Sick," Sasuke admitted.

"Too much to drink," Sakura said light-heartedly. "Slow down now, okay?"

"Maybe. I haven't eaten since this morning either."

"Do you want to get something?"

"No, not really."

They walked on mutely, Sakura unsure of what to say and Sasuke unwilling to try keeping a conversation going.

"Sasuke…" Sakura said quietly after a while. "Are you going to be alright?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Who knows?"

"I'm worried about you."

"Don't be."

"But-"

"Sakura, stop talking. You're making my head hurt."

Up ahead, they saw Naruto running towards them, waving his arms like a madman. People either side of him were side stepping away from him slowly, but he didn't seem to notice. He had seemingly made a trip home first, changing from his uniform into a smart blue shirt and black jeans that Sasuke had picked out for him on their 'fill up Naruto's wardrobe' shopping trip.

"Hey Naruto," Sakura greeted him with a smile as he stopped in front of them, beaming and panting slightly.

"Hey guys. Having a good time?"

He waved a hand in front of Sasuke to provoke an answer from him instead of Sakura. Sasuke glared at him and turned away instead.

"Someone's being unsociable," Naruto sighed, stepping around so he was facing Sasuke again and waving a hand in front of him once more.

"Someone's going to get punched if they don't stop being annoying," Sasuke responded dryly.

"You need to loosen up," Naruto informed him. "Drink some more!"

"He's had _plenty_," Sakura filled in.

"I can still think straight," Sasuke replied curtly. "So I haven't had enough."

"So where shall we head?" Naruto asked nervously, trying to dispel the tense atmosphere.

"I don't mind," Sakura shrugged. "Where do you want to go?"

"Can we cut the pleasantries and just go _somewhere_?" Sasuke snapped at them, folding his arms.

"What's got into _you_?" Naruto asked, poking him in the chest.

"He's just bitching because I woke him up," Sakura supplied, glaring at Sasuke.

"Woke him up?"

"He was sleeping on the bar. Sasuke, if you're going to keep up this moodiness, I'm going to drag you home. Relax and let's perhaps go and eat? It'll help you not feel so sick, Sasuke. Did you eat at work, Naruto?"

"No, I didn't."

"Alright," Sakura nodded firmly. "That's good, we'll do that then. Where sha-"

"_Anywhere_."

"I wasn't asking you, Sasuke."

-.-.-

Fast food was decided upon, but only because the queues for the restaurants were long. Sakura ordered for them and sent the boys to get a table, giving Naruto a wink that suggested she was giving them some brief alone time.

"So, why are you in such a bad mood?" Naruto asked once they were seated in a corner.

Sasuke glanced up from the sticky table to meet his eye, mouth open to snap something harsh, but he stopped when he saw the badly masked concern on his boyfriend's features.

"I'm tired," he supplied.

"Is that all?"

"I'm still conscious, and the fresh air's taken any scrap of disorientation I had _away_."

Naruto frowned. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"No. Not today."

Naruto glanced around before reaching out and clasping Sasuke's hand gently. Sasuke flinched, but didn't pull away.

"Your Dad will come around," he said, correctly guessing Sasuke's concerns. "I'm sure of it. Just give him some time."

"And what do I do between now and whenever he decides to call?"

"Whatever you want," Naruto shrugged. "Are you going to change your life because he disagrees?"

"Well… No."

"Then it doesn't matter, does it?"

"It _does_ matter," Sasuke insisted. "I just want him-" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "Is it too much for him to be _happy_ I'm happy?"

Naruto didn't know how to answer that- so he didn't, keeping his hand firmly around Sasuke's until Sasuke squeezed it and let it go upon Sakura's approach.

"Here," she said, placing the tray of food down in front of them. "I didn't know what to get you, Sasuke, so I just got a Happy Meal. You could do with it, that's for sure."

Sasuke glared at her. "Very funny."

They ate in relative silence, Sakura frowning and picking up one of Sasuke's fries when she noticed he hadn't touched his food.

"It's not poison you know," she told him, waving it in front of him. "Don't make me force feed you."

"I'm not _hungry_," he growled at her in response, batting her hand away as she made to actually do just that with the fry in her hand.

"Don't lie to me. You said yourself the last time you ate was this morning."

Sasuke stood, rolling his eyes as though her statement was somehow offensive or untrue. "I'm going to the bathroom. Naruto, you may as well eat that."

He indicated the food in front of him as he headed off, Naruto beaming and aiming to dive into it.

"No," Sakura told him, grabbing his wrist as he made to pick up the fries. "He needs to eat, Naruto. If you're still hungry, we can get you something else."

They were interrupted by the distinct ringing of a mobile phone. They both looked down to the table where Sasuke's mobile was sitting, moving slightly on the table as it vibrated with the ringing.

"It says 'Mum and Dad'," Naruto said softly as he looked at the caller display. "We shouldn't ignore it."

"We shouldn't really answer it either," Sakura said worriedly.

They stared at it for a few moments longer before Sakura disregarded what she had just said and snatched it up to do just that.

"Sasuke's phone, Sakura speaking."

"Sakura?"

"Yes, Mr. Uchiha," she answered politely. "Sasuke can't come to the phone right now, can I take a message?"

"I need to speak to him."

"Well… Can you call back in a couple of minutes?"

She got her answer in the form of a dial tone, putting the phone back down onto the table slowly.

"I'll take that as a yes," she sighed. "I hope he's going to apologise. Then perhaps Sasuke will loosen up tonight."

When Sasuke rejoined them at the table, neither of them said anything, regarding him wearily as he sat down and pushed the tray of food away from him.

"What…?" He asked after a moment, noticing their gazes.

"Your father called," Sakura said quietly, indicating his phone on the table.

"You _answered _it?"

"Well, _you_ couldn't answer it, could you?"

Sasuke snatched the phone up, getting up and walking away from the table, phone to his ear as he redialed his father. Sakura watched him go, sighing.

"You might as well eat that then, Naruto," she said of the food. "It's only going to get cold. Maybe if this is a good phone-call he'll fancy something more, anyway."

They both watched him converse on the phone anxiously, trying to read his expression. It stayed neutral as he spoke, which they took to be a good thing. Once the conversation had ended, however, he walked back to the table and flung his mobile back onto it so hard it skidded straight off. He left it on the floor and sat down, his expression still unreadable. Sakura took it upon herself to pick his phone up, placing it gently back onto the table.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked quietly.

"Not really."

"Do you need me to call him and yell at him?" She asked kindly. "I don't want to see him upsetting you like this."

"I'm not upset."

Sakura scowled at him. "That's a lie and you know it. If you weren't upset, you wouldn't have assaulted your phone like that."

"He called to ask if I'd changed my mind yet," Sasuke responded sharply. "I told him it wasn't my choice- again. He hung up. Nothing I didn't already expect from him, and nothing new, it's only what he did last time."

"The fact he even called you is good though, right?" Sakura tried to reason. "He doesn't want to accept your… 'Choices'- don't look at me like that, you know I'm on your side here- so he's hoping you'll change your mind so things can go back to normal."

Sasuke shrugged at that, declining to answer.

"Are you going to voluntarily eat or am I going to force you? Naruto ate yours since it was getting cold, but we can get you something-"

"If we're done, let's get out of here," Sasuke interrupted, clearly disregarding what she had said. "There's a good bar across from here."

He set off without waiting for the other two, snatching his mobile phone up as he went. Sakura watched him with a wry smile, picking the tray up to dispose of the packaging on the way.

-.-.-

_Author's Note: Sorry if it's a little abrupt- it's been a busy and rather stressful week. Thanks for reading :)_


	8. Chapter 8

**8.**

Sasuke didn't remember how he got home, so waking up in his bed was a huge surprise to him. Even more surprising was that Naruto was sitting on the edge of the bed, shaking his shoulder- presumably what had woken him- looking concerned.

"It's three pm," Naruto told him as he sleepily locked eyes with him.

Sasuke sat up slowly, his head pounding. He put a hand to his forehead, wincing as he did so. _Far_ too much to drink, it seemed. He climbed out of the bed, his knees buckling and sending him falling as he did so. He grabbed the mattress and pulled himself back to his feet before he hit the floor, earning an amused smile from Naruto.

He gave up and climbed back into the bed, quite content with the idea of staying there.

"Sasuke, what do you remember of last night?" Naruto asked him quietly.

"Not much after we went to the bar after eating."

"…Oh."

"Why?" Sasuke asked, eyes narrowed, realising Naruto was being shy about something.

"Well… You called your father."

"I remember that."

"No, you called him again."

Sasuke stared at him, not quite sure he was hearing correctly. "I did?"

"You called him and told him that you were 'free to do whatever you wanted' and when he tried to argue you told him to fuck himself and die. I took the phone away from you and tried to explain that you were drunk, but he hung up on me."

"You're _kidding_ me," Sasuke lamented, lying back down. "I'm not getting up today. No, actually, I'm not getting up all _week_."

"You might want to call him and make amends, at least?"

"No, I might not," Sasuke replied, muffled as he'd buried his head in his pillow. "My family's big on respect and honouring family above all else- Japanese descent, remember? What I did to him last night gives him a whole _new_ reason to disown me."

Naruto grimaced, standing up. "I'll get you some water."

"And painkillers," Sasuke asked, closing his eyes to his steadily increasing headache as Naruto nodded and left him to fetch them.

-.-.-

He spent the majority of the day lying in bed, staring at the ceiling with the curtains drawn and clock watching to make sure he took a dose of painkillers bang on the every four hour mark. His headache had receded slightly with it, but he had managed to stave off throwing up, which he felt better for.

Naruto had poked his head round the corner once to ask if he wanted any food, and Sasuke had snapped the very firm 'no' so hard the blond had instantly retreated to leave him alone.

He wanted to call his father. It was taking a phenomenal effort on his behalf not to. At some point, he'd thrown his phone across the room, knowing he wouldn't have the energy to get out of bed to retrieve it- and he was correct.

In the distance, he heard the entry phone buzzing in the hallway. He closed his eyes, ignoring it. Naruto could answer it and get rid of whoever it would be, leaving Sasuke to continue staying curled up under the covers.

A minute or so later, he heard a faint knocking at his bedroom door and he threw his pillow at it in response.

"I don't care who it is, send them away," he yelled.

"Sasuke, don't be like that."

Sasuke closed his eyes, wishing he hadn't thrown his pillow since he could quite do with hiding his head under it. He wasn't in the mood to deal with Sakura.

The door clicked open and he didn't open his eyes, flinching when the pillow was thrown straight back at him. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Sakura's disapproving gaze along with Naruto's concerned one from behind her.

"You can't lie around in bed feeling sorry for yourself," Sakura told him firmly, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Just give it a few days for your father to calm down and call to apologise."

"What makes you think he'll listen to me?"

"Because you're his _son_. He loves you, Sasuke. Yes you made a mistake last night, but it's not like you called him out the blue and said those things. You said them because he _hurt_ you."

"Sakura, I don't want to talk about it," Sasuke told her, putting his pillow back under his head and bringing the covers around his shoulders.

"And I don't want you sulking for the next who knows how long."

"Sakura, let me talk to him," Naruto said quietly. Sakura glanced around at him, glancing back to Sasuke before nodding and getting up from the bed. She left the room, closing the door quietly and leaving them alone.

Naruto sat on the edge of the bed where she had just been, eyes downcast to the carpeted floor. Sasuke looked up at him out of the corner of his eye, vaguely interested in what he had to say.

"When I was about five, I asked my grandmother why I didn't have a mum and dad like other kids," he began. "And she told me they'd 'been taken away' when I was smaller. I asked what she meant, and she cried. She never did explain it. I thought they were going to come home any minute, and I started waiting by the front door for them."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sasuke asked, eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Eventually I realised they weren't going to come home," Naruto continued, seemingly not hearing Sasuke's question. "And I was so _angry_ with them. I thought they'd left me willingly because I couldn't comprehend why if they were 'taken away' why they hadn't fought to come back to me. For years I despised them both, but I eventually realised she meant they were dead, and all the hate in the world wasn't going to change that."

He sighed, clasping his hands together, looking slightly lost. "After that, I wanted them in my life _so much_ but that's never going to be an option, is it?"

"Naruto, _why_ are you-"

"_Because_!" Naruto interrupted. "Because your father is still alive! Because you have the chance to try and fix things with him, and he _will_ want to as well because as Sakura said- you're his _son_. He's angry because he had this wonderful life paved out for you and you've gone and done the opposite."

"He shouldn't have planned my life for me if he didn't want to be disappointed!"

"A father wanting a good life for his child?" Naruto snapped. "Fancy that, how _awful_ of him!"

He thrust a hand into his pocket, pulling out a battered wallet. The worn leather had definitely seen better days, falling apart at the seams and faded in places. Naruto opened it roughly and yanked something out, thrusting it under Sasuke's eyes- a photograph.

"These are my parents," he said harshly. "I don't remember them. I could only _wish_ they had some kind of life planned out for me, since the life I ended up leading wasn't anything to make them proud."

Sasuke stared at the couple in the photograph, swallowing slightly and glancing away. The dog eared corners, the faded colours, the smiling faces- he didn't like it. He didn't like what it represented, since those faces couldn't smile anymore and it _hurt_ the person in front of him so badly he could almost taste it in the air when he spoke.

"This is the _only_ thing I have left of them," Naruto told him after a moment, his voice oddly quiet. "I have nothing else. _Nothing_. I hated carrying this in my wallet because I was frightened someone would steal it for the money I _don't_ have, and I'd lose the only thing I had. But I didn't have much choice. I made some bad decisions and it was entirely my fault I put myself in a vulnerable position."

"You don't need to carry it around anymore," Sasuke told him. "You can frame it and leave it he-"

"_No_," Naruto interjected quickly. "No. I can't. I'm so used to having it on me now I don't think I could change it despite my fears. It's like having them with me, watching me."

He seemed to visibly deflate, his temper vanishing as he put the photograph back into his wallet and placing it back into his pocket. He didn't resume speaking, leaving Sasuke to stare at the floor awkwardly and wish for suitable words to come.

"You're hurt by your father," Naruto eventually spoke, saving Sasuke. "I understand that. But you owe him some time to get used to the change of plan. Even if you never said you'd live his planned life, he still probably thought you might. And you did fool him for a long time about Sakura- one day he thinks his youngest son will marry and give him grandchildren, and the next he's told the complete _opposite_? Give the guy a break, Sasuke."

"I know," Sasuke responded, sitting up and leaning against the wall with a soft sigh. "I just don't know _how_ to fix this. My father's not the type to sit down and talk things through."

"Just give him time, Sasuke. Let him call you when he's ready. He was angry when you told him you didn't want to study medicine, right? And you sorted things out, didn't you?"

"Actually," Sasuke said, looking slightly bemused. "That's how I ended up living here. He threw me out for it."

Naruto gestured to the room around them. "Maybe, but he _bought_ you a flat in the most prestigious part of London when he did so. You could have done _far_ worse."

The unspoken 'you could have ended up on the street like I did' resounded silently through the room, and Sasuke felt instantly guilty at his privilege.

"I know you're right," he said softly. "And I'm being unreasonable expecting him to accept everything right away."

"You're also being unreasonable lying around in bed all day, you're making me lonely," Naruto half-whined, smiling good naturedly at him as he noticed the mood in the room had lifted slightly.

They were interrupted by a soft knock at the door, which Sasuke called out to. Sakura poked her head round the door, her expression inquiring whether she was welcome to come back inside or not.

"I'm going to get up," Sasuke answered her wordless question.

"You haven't eaten since _yesterday_ morning, have you?" She asked worriedly. The guilty look she received in return answered that, and she frowned. "I'm going to raid your kitchen and cook us all a good meal, then. Good to see you looking slightly brighter, Sasuke."

She pulled the door closed again as Sasuke got out of the bed, standing up slowly. Hours of lying in bed had made his body weak and he mentally berated his limbs to get them working properly.

"Sasuke?" Naruto said quietly, earning a glance in his direction. "Thank you for taking me in. I'll be getting a paycheck soon, you know, and I'll be able to pay you back and get out of your hair."

"Get out of my hair?" Sasuke echoed.

"Well, yeah. You weren't very keen on the idea of a flat-mate, were you?" Naruto continued, cheeks scarlet as he looked at the floor in front of him. "And I don't want you to think that has to change because we're… Well…"

"What if I _want_ it to?" Sasuke responded, sitting back down on the edge of the bed next to the blond. "I've enjoyed having you around, you know." He took Naruto's hand, giving him a sly grin. "Besides, you owe me a drink."

"Didn't you have enough last night?" Naruto joked.

Sasuke declined to answer, rolling his eyes. The somber mood that had lifted seemed to return, and Naruto curled himself around Sasuke's side on the small bed.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked him, letting him do so, wrapping his arms around him as his boyfriend got comfortable against him.

"It's all been a bit hectic, hasn't it?" Naruto replied. "I haven't had the chance to just… Be with you."

"Without any of the drama?" Sasuke filled what he expected Naruto had wanted to say.

"I guess you could put it like that, but I understand why there's been so-called 'drama'," Naruto responded, squeezing Sasuke slightly. "You just need to relax and let things happen in their own time."

Sasuke didn't reply, closing his eyes and leaning his head on Naruto's shoulder. Sakura would let them know when food was ready, and he had absolutely no reason to move from the bed right then- and that suited him just fine.

-.-.-

The following week passed quite uneventfully- and uneventfully was what was bothering Sasuke. He hadn't had the phone-call everyone had convinced him would come from his father yet, and they were now entering the month of December. Usually by now his family would be calling him to arrange plans for Christmas, but he had heard nothing.

Waking up to another day- alone since Naruto was already out the house for work- and following his usual routine of heading to the kitchen for breakfast, Sasuke wasn't expecting anything to change. He sleepily put on his dressing gown and headed out into the hallway, pausing by the front door to pick up the mail on the floor.

Flinging the envelopes onto the kitchen table, he sighed. Bills were _not_ what he needed right now, on top of the holidays and the fact his father had kept his word and hadn't re-filled his bank account. Sasuke wasn't exactly poor, but he knew he couldn't live on a slowly emptying account forever. He'd resigned himself to actually trying to find a job the following week if he hadn't heard anything.

It wasn't that he was lazy- far from it, in fact. He just had no idea what he wanted to do with himself and felt working a job he would hate when he had no need to previously was counter-productive. Some people would disagree, but Sasuke rather liked the freedom of doing what he pleased. A small part of his mind reminded him that he sounded slightly spoilt thinking that, but he ignored it.

Sitting down with some toast, he picked up the top letter in the small stack of three and frowned as he realised it was his mother's handwriting on the white envelope. Dropping his toast back onto the plate, he tore it open and practically ripped the letter inside out. As he did so, some notes fluttered onto the table and he smiled softly as he picked them up- a quick count told him it was only £40, but that was £40 he currently didn't have.

He opened the letter carefully, scanning his mother's neat- and oddly, in English- handwriting.

_Dear Sasuke,_

_How are you? I'm sorry I haven't called, but I didn't want to anger your father. He told me about Sakura, and I'm very sorry she isn't the one for you. Your father told me what you said, and I want you to know I love you very much and I just want you to be happy. Itachi tells me he has a nice girlfriend, so I will push him for the grandchildren you won't be giving me!_

_Your father seems to have calmed down, and he's pacing the house madly these days. I think you've hurt his pride with this and that's why he won't call you, but he loves you Sasuke. I'm going to start pressuring him to call you soon, since he seems unable to swallow his pride alone._

_I've enclosed some money- your father forbid me to put money into your account (and I can just hear you saying 'don't let him boss you around' like you always did in your teens) so I thought I'd put what I could in with this letter. He doesn't know I've sent it, so don't tell him when he does call, okay?_

_Take care Sasuke,_

_Love Mum_

_P.S- You can bring Naruto with you at Christmas. I may be an old woman by your standards but I'm not senile enough to be blind to the obvious! He's a nice boy and he'll make you happy, I'm sure. Just don't kiss him around your father- I don't think he'll be ready for such displays!_

Sasuke folded the letter, deep in thought, sliding it back into the envelope and staring at his now-cold toast. He swallowed the temptation to call his mother and thank her- she had specifically asked him to keep her contact quiet, so he would.

She had seen right through him about his feelings for Naruto, too. He mentally cursed being close enough to his family that they could read him like that, remembering his brother had done the same. Was it _that_ obvious?

Throwing the toast away, he glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed when he realised Naruto wasn't due home for an hour yet. He was getting rather fed up with being alone now he had become adjusted to having a second person around the house all the time- that wasn't Sakura at least. In his head, Sakura didn't count. She had been quite absent though- on top of her work, she'd been 'giving the lovebirds some time alone', as she said.

Sasuke smiled coyly at that. Some time alone had indeed been spent, and spent very _well_ in his opinion. Well, up until the neighbours below had knocked on the door, red faced and clearly embarrassed and asked them to keep the noise down 'in bed' at least- that had just been mortifying.

Sasuke shook his head to clear his perverted thoughts as he heard the phone ring out in the hall. Every time it had rung he had hoped it would be his father, and with the letter on the table in front of him he had every reason to believe that even more right now. He went to answer it quickly, not wanting to bring himself unnecessary suspense.

"Hello?"

"Hello Sir, I'm calling from We Glaze You Save, a company designed to help _you_ save money by installing only the _best_ double glazing- do you have a moment of your time to discuss your windows?"

"They're see-through," Sasuke snapped curtly, not having the patience to deal with people trying to sell him things he didn't want. "That's all I care about."

He hung up the phone, feeling slightly guilty for his rudeness, but remembering who he had been expecting on the phone soon wiped that away. He stared at the receiver he had just hung up for a moment in thought, startled when it rang again. He snatched it up again crossly, frowning.

"Look, I don't want your god damn windows," he snapped. "Don't call me again."

"…Sasuke?"

Sasuke froze, eyes widening. "Dad? Sorry, I just had a call from-"

"I guessed."

His father's voice was clipped and terse, and Sasuke found himself speechless from it. He sank down to the floor, leaning against the wall and sighing gently. This was the phone-call he'd hoped for all week and now it was here, all the things he'd told himself he would say had vanished from his mind.

"Your mother isn't happy with me," his father eventually spoke up. "She told me I had to call you."

"I'm glad you have," Sasuke responded, still feeling nervous that he was going to get yelled at again.

"Look, I'll be blunt, Sasuke. You know I'm not pleased with you."

"I know."

"But you're my son, and I think your mother would make me sleep in the garden for the rest of my life if I kept feuding with you."

Sasuke smiled at that. "You make it sound like you listen to her."

"Don't push your luck, son."

"Sorry."

"Anyway, Sasuke- I want to be proud of you. Right now, you're not giving me anything to proud of you about, are you? I made a mistake by spoiling you children when you were younger, and now you seem to think it's acceptable to leech off your mother and I and not do anything for yourself?"

"No, that's not-" Sasuke tried to protest, but his father spoke over him.

"Are you working? No, you're not. You're sitting in your comfortable flat living off the money _we_ put in your bank account, and you're happy with that. You _shouldn't_ be happy with that. Why aren't you working?"

"I don't know what I want to do."

"That's an excuse to be lazy, Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't respond- he was unable to do so. His father was right, after all- what had he done this past week, after all? Watched his bank balance decline and decide to get a job 'next week'. And he knew himself- next week would bring further procrastination, and eventually he'd end up with an empty bank and wonder what had gone wrong. He was terrible with money- because he'd never had a reason to care for it.

"You're right," he eventually said quietly, closing his eyes to the guilty tears that filled them. "I don't know how to handle money."

"Because your mother and I never taught you how- I don't blame you for that. But you need to learn because one day your mother and I won't be here, and then what will happen to you?"

Sasuke thought about Naruto for a moment and how destitute he had been before meeting Sasuke- because he _couldn't handle money_. While Sasuke was certain he wouldn't end up homeless, he realised with an abrupt start that he _would_ end up hopelessly broke if his parents vanished tomorrow.

"Sasuke," his father continued. "I'm telling you this because I… Well, because I care about you, son, and I think you need to hear it. I want a good life for you. I've worked since I was fifteen to make the money to give my future family everything you could ever want. After you kids were born I worked 60 hours a week, night shifts, working my days off- everything I could do for you. And you got everything you desired because of it, and so has your mother. I have no debts, and all my money has been made through honest hard work. I hoped you boys would feel the same."

"I'm sorry I'm not more like my brother," Sasuke responded quietly.

"Your brother wasn't exactly thrilled at being shipped off to University, Sasuke. But we talked about it and he decided he would do it regardless."

"So he was sensible and I'm the worthless trouble maker who didn't care what you said?"

"Sasuke, don't put words into my mouth and stop trying to bring yourself down. That isn't healthy. I'm not proud of you right now, I admit, but I certainly don't think of you as worthless. You're my _child_. Any father who feels his own children are worthless doesn't deserve to be called as such."

"You haven't exactly been singing my praises this call, have you?" Sasuke replied sharply, some of the strength returning to his voice.

"Have you any praises worth singing right now?"

Sasuke's silence gave the answer his father needed.

"Look, Sasuke. I understand with your… sexual persuasion that a family isn't in the equation anymore, so thinking about it from that angle isn't going to be any good. But don't you want to make _yourself_ proud and do something worthwhile with yourself? Staring through a window out onto the streets of the busiest city in England doesn't make you _part_ of it."

"I'm scared of disappointing you," Sasuke answered quickly, closing his eyes at his admittance. "I don't want to go to University and fail. I'm sorry and-"

"Enough," his father interrupted- his voice oddly soft. "How do you know what you can achieve without trying? If you fail then you fail."

"Itachi tells me you had a different opinion," Sasuke found himself replying, wishing he hadn't said it since it was opening up a line of conversation he didn't want to go down- his father's insistence to _not_ fail had been the reason Itachi had attempted to take his life.

"If you've had that conversation with Itachi then you'll know I have a changed opinion now," his father replied curtly. "Even I am capable of making terrible mistakes, Sasuke. Yelling at you last week was another one of those mistakes. I was shocked and disappointed- I still am. But I can't… Sasuke, I only have to think about the day you were born to realise I still think the world of you no matter what you do. I just wish you'd be slightly more co-operative so I didn't have to have these inner-fights with myself about your actions, you understand?"

"I do," Sasuke nodded. "I understand that… But Dad, you know I'm an adult now right? And I may not always do things you want me to do."

"I'm well aware of that, Sasuke. I just wish you'd be more obedient so I didn't have to think about how you've grown."

"And I wish I could give you what you want from me."

They lapsed into silence, Sasuke hearing the soft breathing of his father through the mouthpiece and taking comfort in it.

"You're twenty three next year, aren't you?" His father eventually asked.

"Yeah."

"You're making me feel old, son."

"Itachi's twenty _eight_ next year."

"You don't need to remind me."

More silence before his father spoke again, his voice taking on that quiet tone it had held earlier than unnerved Sasuke slightly.

"I still remember when you were born like it was yesterday. And Itachi, too. The years have gone by so quickly… Is it too much for an old man to want an easy life?"

"You're not _that_ old, Dad."

"I'm fifty four and both of my children are single and either uneducated or not graduated yet."

"I'm not single," Sasuke replied, almost in a whisper. "And it's probably not my place to say, but neither is Itachi."

"Oh?" His father asked, sounding instantly more renewed. "I wonder why he didn't mention it."

"He says it's nothing serious. Just do me a favour and don't tell him I told you, alright? He'll kill me if he realises I've been spilling his secrets."

"So… You're not single, either? It's Naruto isn't it?"

"…Yes."

"I knew it. How long has that been going on, then?"

"Not long. Only a week."

His father sighed heavily. "Well at least I can start relying on Itachi for the grandchildren, then."

"I imagine that's why he didn't tell you about his girlfriend you know."

"I can _quietly_ rely on him, then."

Sasuke laughed at that, smiling despite his melancholy.

"Well, I'm going to go now, Sasuke. Please do me one favour and think more of yourself, won't you? Confidence is the first step to success."

"I'll try."

"If you speak to your brother I'm sure he'll give you boys a lift down here at Christmas."

"So Naruto is invited, too?" Sasuke asked timidly, remembering what his mother had said but needing to hear confirmation of it from his father too.

"I suppose. I'll have to push Itachi so I can get him to admit his girlfriend and invite her as well. It will be nice to have a fuller house at Christmas- your mother will be thrilled."

"I'm sure. Don't push him too hard about it, remember what I said?"

"Yes, yes," his father answered in a tone of voice that suggested he had already made his mind up and it _wasn't_ going to favour keeping Sasuke in Itachi's good books. "Well… You take care, son. And I'm… I didn't mean what I said before. I was angry."

"It's fine. I'll make you proud, I promise you."

"Good. I don't want to have to worry about you anymore. Have a good day, Sasuke."

"Bye, Dad."

Sasuke disconnected the call, staring at the cordless handset for a moment before rising slowly to hang it back up. His back protested from sitting on the hard wooden floor for so long but he ignored it, too preoccupied with his thoughts about his father.

Once the phone was safely deposited into the holder, he sank back to the floor and sighed heavily. Any anger he'd ever had towards his father had vanished, and for the first time he felt like he was _truly_ seeing the man who had raised him. His father wasn't one to talk about how he felt or admit he was wrong, and he had done both of those things. Of course, he had avoided outright saying 'I'm sorry' Sasuke had noted, but that was fine. He'd said it in other roundabout ways- in fact, he'd said it just by picking up the phone and making the call.

He stayed there on the floor boards, leaning against the wall with his knees drawn to his chest and arms wrapped around them deep in thought. The more he thought about it, the more obvious some of the things he had been told made sense. His father hadn't been around much when he was a child- both Itachi and he had said 'Daddy' as a first word in spite (or perhaps, because) of it. His mother always smiled and said 'Daddy's in bed' and they had accepted that without question, ready to bound in and clamber all over him at two pm when their mother went to wake him. Neither of them questioned why Daddy was in bed at such a time and why he was out the door again at six. It just happened.

And it had happened for a good reason, it seemed. Night shifts and ridiculous hours a week to support them and their mother, good birthdays, terrific Christmases- and all Sasuke could think about was that one year he'd stamped his feet because his brother got something _he_ wanted, or when he'd become old enough to miss his father and had yelled at him to stay home one day when he'd been leaving for work… Or more recently, when Sasuke had drunkenly told him to just _die_ to make his own life better.

He closed his eyes to the tears he had been expecting, shaking his head slightly. The only thing his father had ever done 'wrong' was expect Sasuke to follow a set path in life, but it wasn't as though he'd requested he do anything dangerous or even particularly horrible. Just to do _something_ to make something of himself and help his father feel like raising him had been a success. The very thought of failing his father at _all_, let alone as badly as he felt he had, broke the small barriers he still had and left him sobbing brokenly into his hands.

Usually, he didn't care either way for the fact his father wasn't very emotional. His mother would happily tell him she loved him and his brother had always been ready to give him a hug or a smile when he seemed to need it, but never his father. At most, his father gave a crooked smile and a nod of the head. But for _once_ he wished he wouldn't feel horribly uncomfortable picking up the phone to simply say 'I love you'.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

He looked up, startled, at the voice that had interrupted him. Naruto knelt in front of him, concern etched on his features, holding a Subway bag and in uniform. Sasuke turned away from him, desperately scratching at his eyes to dry them and pretend it was nothing.

"And don't tell me 'nothing' before you think it."

Sasuke had to laugh at that as Naruto settled down in front of Sasuke on the floor, putting the bag he was carrying down and continuing to look concerned.

"He called," Sasuke eventually answered. "We worked things out."

Naruto rolled his eyes good naturedly. "Oh what a surprise. You worked yourself up for a week for nothing. So why are you crying if you worked things out?"

Sasuke didn't answer for a while, eyes trained to the worn floor boards. "He talked some sense into me," he eventually answered. "It wasn't nice, but I needed to hear it."

They sat in silence for a while, Naruto curling himself up at Sasuke's side wordlessly after a while. Sasuke put an arm around him, thankful for his silent comfort.

"I need to do something with myself," Sasuke said, breaking the silence. "A job, University- _anything_."

"For your father?"

"No," Sasuke shook his head. "For myself. For someone who I don't talk to on an emotional level my Dad was able to read me easily."

He scowled at that, realising just about everyone was doing that lately.

"So do you have any idea what you want to do?"

Sasuke shrugged as best he could with Naruto curled on his shoulder. "If I did, I'd have at least tried to do it right now."

"Well, it's not something you need to decide overnight," Naruto told him sensibly. "Just being active about deciding is good, right?"

"I suppose."

Naruto flashed him a grin, pulling away and putting his hand into his pocket. "I have a surprise for you, it might cheer you up."

He pulled a small brown envelope from his pocket, opening it and flashing a wage packet at Sasuke. Sasuke raised an eyebrow curiously at him, confused.

"We just passed the end of November, didn't we?" Naruto filled in. "So it's my pay. It's not a full month, but there's enough here to pay you back."

Sasuke shook his head, pushing Naruto's eager hand away. "Keep it."

"But-"

"Naruto, we're a couple now," Sasuke interrupted. "What's mine is yours. I took that slip of paper off the fridge yesterday and threw it away, so I don't even know how much you 'owed' me."

Naruto frowned at him. "I don't _take_ charity, you know that Sasuke."

"And you're not homeless anymore," Sasuke reminded him. "Call it a Christmas gift, then. Or call it a good deed because you're my boyfriend. It doesn't have to be called charity."

Naruto put the money back in the envelope, eyes narrowed in thought as he put it back in his pocket. "Well, at least let me take you out for that drink you wanted sometime."

There was a tone of finality in his voice that made Sasuke smile, and he nodded in agreement. Putting a hand to Naruto's cheek he slowly drew him in for a kiss, pecking him so softly on the lips that it tickled.

"I suppose I can't say no to that. After Christmas, though."

Naruto looked confused. "Oh? Why's that?"

Sasuke winked at him slightly. "Good things come to those who wait."

Naruto pouted at that, leaning his head back on Sasuke's shoulder. "That's hardly fair. I'll pay?"

"Over my dead body will you."

"But if I let you pay I become the girl in the relationship," Naruto whined.

Sasuke had to laugh at that, shaking his head slightly. "Naruto, you couldn't be female if you tried."

As Naruto's face broke out into a grin, Sasuke pushed him off, scowling at him. "And before you say it," he said knowingly. "Neither could I."

-.-.-

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope to have this finished by Christmas :) Just an epilogue to go now!_


	9. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"He's _late_."

Naruto chuckled at Sasuke, who was busy wrapping his coat around himself and shivering in the bitterly cold sea air. They were waiting at the train station for Sasuke's brother to pick them up on Christmas Eve, and Sasuke was already mentally cursing the presence of the sea for its horrifically cold winds.

"It's not that cold," he countered, nudging Sasuke gently. Sasuke gave him a death glare, noting Naruto's lack of coat and apparent ability not to feel the icy winds. When Naruto simply smiled sweetly at him, he went back to scanning the car park for his brother's car- despite knowing it wasn't there.

A few minutes later, Itachi's BMW pulled up next to them, startling Sasuke slightly as he beeped the horn a few times whilst right next to them. He instantly pulled on the handle, banging on the window when he realised it was locked.

"Open it," he yelled, hoping his brother could hear him through the glass. His brother shrugged as if to say he couldn't, but the slight smile on his face made it obvious he _could_.

When Itachi finally unlocked the door, Sasuke yanked it open and threw himself into the front seat, slamming the door behind him. Naruto clambered in the back, nodding a greeting to Itachi as he did so, setting down the bag he had been carrying with him on the backseat too.

"It's freezing," Sasuke complained, putting the heat on and rubbing his hands together in front of it. "And you're late."

Itachi flicked the heat off, ignoring the glare his little brother was giving him at doing so. "And I'm not very pleased with you, so forgive me for making you suffer."

"Huh? What did I do?"

"Please explain to me why Dad called me last week to ask if I was coming alone," Itachi asked. "And why he didn't take 'yes' for a suitable answer?"

Sasuke shrugged awkwardly, remembering that he'd spilled Itachi's secret of his girlfriend and trying not to look _too_ guilty. "He did?"

"Yes, he did. Eventually when I avoided it enough he flat out asked if I had a girlfriend, and hinted a _little bird_ had told him I did."

Sasuke gave him a weak grin. "And you think that little bird may have been me?"

"I _know_ it was since he said 'Sasuke told me you were seeing someone' when he wasn't getting an answer out of me any other way."

"Oh," Sasuke scowled. "I told him to be discrete about mentioning it if he was going to!"

"And I told you not to tell him," Itachi sighed as he rolled his eyes, smiling for the first time to show he wasn't as upset about it as he made out. "I got him off my back, though. I made it clear she was my 'friend with benefits' rather than a girlfriend."

"Ah. And he was alright with that?"

"He didn't _get_ that. He asked if I meant she was rich. I told him I meant she was my fuck buddy."

Sasuke stifled a laugh at that. "I bet that went down well."

"I was hoping to shock him with my crudeness, but it didn't really work," Itachi sighed. "He just gave me the 'be careful' speech and nullified it moments later by telling me 'if you _do_ get her pregnant your mother and I will happily baby-sit'."

"I suppose I shocked him so much earlier this month he didn't have the heart to be surprised," Sasuke laughed. "I only told him because he was a bit upset at having two 'single' children. I couldn't let him think we were, and it _did_ cheer him up."

"If you say so," Itachi shrugged. "I can tell them we actually got engaged last week over dinner tomorrow and shock him that way."

"You did? Congratulations!"

Itachi smiled at that, looking proud. "Thank you. She proposed to _me_, though. My friends are having a good joke about that right now."

He glanced over his shoulder as they stopped at a red light, nodding at Naruto. "And how are you, Naruto?"

"I'm alright," Naruto nodded back. "Nice to see you again."

"And you. You know my mother is pacing the kitchen excitedly waiting for you? She can't wait to get you back in the kitchen- she's been raving about how great you were last time."

"She's already cooking?" Naruto asked, eyes wide in curiosity and sidestepping the compliment. "Christmas isn't until tomorrow, though!"

"She likes to prepare everything she can the day before," Itachi explained. "She likes to be organized. She's really happy about having even one extra person this year."

They lapsed into comfortable silence, winding through the small side roads towards their parents' house. Sasuke flicked the heat back on at one point and Itachi let him, flicking the radio on in response. Christmas music filtered quietly through the car and Sasuke turned it up a little, thankful for something to break the silence.

"So your family doesn't mind that you're spending Christmas elsewhere?" Itachi asked of Naruto politely.

"I don't have any family," Naruto responded quietly, aware that Sasuke hadn't given Itachi or his parents any details about his life. "My parents died and I… Well, I don't see my other relatives anymore."

"I'm sorry to bring it up then, I had no idea."

"Its fine," Naruto shrugged. "It's just nice to have someone to spend Christmas with this year- I spent last year alone and homeless."

He chuckled nervously at that, and Sasuke knew the latter admittance had been difficult for his partner. Itachi's eyes flickered with genuine sympathy however, though only Sasuke could see it.

"I'm glad we can provide somewhere for you to spend it, then," Itachi responded after a moment of thought. "That must have been difficult."

Naruto shrugged again. "It's all in the past now, eh?"

The conversation ended with that, all of them humming or murmuring along quietly to the songs on the radio. They stayed that way until Itachi parked the car up in the driveway of their parents' house, smiling at their mother who was waiting in the driveway.

"Sasuke," she said kindly as he got out of the car. "Oh, honey…"

She latched onto him tightly, hugging him so hard he could barely breathe. He put his arms around her too, eyes narrowed in confusion as he felt her body wrack with sobs. Itachi shrugged at him when he cast his confused gaze in his direction, heading into the house to leave them be.

"I've been so worried," she whispered to him, still wrapped around him. "With everything with your father, and-"

"I'm fine," Sasuke interrupted her, shaking his head slightly. "Really, I'm fine."

"I was worried you'd take your brother's approach to stress," she wept quietly into his shoulder. "Your father mentioned you were told about that. And I couldn't… I _couldn't-_"

"_Mum_," Sasuke stressed, cutting her off again. "Reall-"

"I'm glad you're here," she interrupted him. "I needed to see you, I'm glad you're here, baby…"

Sasuke gave up trying to talk to her, letting her cling to him as though her life depended on it and keeping his arms wrapped around her tightly. He'd had no idea she'd been so concerned, especially since for the past couple of weeks, everything had been more than alright.

Eventually Mikoto pulled away, smiling fondly at Sasuke and running a hand across his cheek. "You're growing up so fast," she commented.

"What's got into you?" Sasuke asked, giving her a good natured smile.

"Oh, just ignore your sentimental old mother," Mikoto laughed, wiping her eyes and smiling back. "It's been a long day. I've been in the kitchen since six am."

"You don't _have_ to go to so much trouble," Sasuke told her. "And you could let Dad help instead of throwing him out every time he goes in the kitchen."

Mikoto chuckled at that, turning to Naruto. He'd been standing by the car with the bag he'd been carrying in his hands, looking thoroughly out of place and confused by the exchange that had just happened in front of him in a foreign language.

"Naruto," she smiled, giving him a hug as well. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Hopefully you'd be so kind to give me a hand later? I've been looking forward to your expertise in the kitchen again."

"Itachi told me so," Naruto answered, smiling at her as she pulled free of the hug.

The front door behind them opened and Sasuke's father stood in it, frowning at them.

"It's too cold to stand out there," he scolded. "And look at you boy, you don't even have a coat on," he said of Naruto, frowning even harder at him. "Get inside, all of you."

Naruto quickly scurried past him, not wanting to anger him, but Fugaku put a hand on his shoulder as he tried to scarper away.

"Good to have you here," he told the blond, who gave the elder man a nervous smile in return. Fugaku looked equally nervous at the exchange and fell silent, pulling his hand free and leaving Naruto to take his shoes off in peace.

Mikoto and Sasuke entered the house, closing the door behind them as they did so. Sasuke found himself unable to meet his father's eye, taking off his shoes silently instead.

"Good to have you here as well, son," he heard his father say quietly. "You're looking well for once."

Sasuke glanced up at him, giving him a smile. "That's a first. Normally one of you tells me I look sick."

"Maybe this boy here _is_ doing you some good," Fugaku laughed, nudging Naruto's shoulder. Naruto, who was untying his shoes and balanced precariously on one knee, almost toppled over with a yelp.

"Perhaps so," Sasuke agreed, laughing slightly, putting a hand out to Naruto's other shoulder to steady him. "By the way, I hear you got Itachi annoyed with me."

"I did?"

"By telling him I told you about his girlfriend."

Fugaku looked slightly embarrassed at that. "Ah- yes. Well… He set me straight on the… The _nature_ of that relationship."

He swiftly headed into the living room to end the conversation, leaving Sasuke to laugh to himself and pick up the bag Naruto had put down when they had entered.

"I'll put these under the tree," he told Naruto. "Go and appease my mother and give her a hand, would you?"

Naruto smiled at him, nodding. "Sure."

Sasuke reached out and gave him a hug, nestling comfortably into his shoulder. Naruto gladly returned it, putting his hands under Sasuke's shirt. Sasuke yelped quietly, squirming away.

"You're _cold_," he complained. Naruto rolled his eyes and grabbed him back into the hug, keeping his hands to himself this time.

"And you're colder," he explained. "I was hoping to warm you up."

They stayed that way for a few more moments, Sasuke eventually pulling away and brushing his lips gently against Naruto's cheek as he did so.

"We aren't going to get much of a chance to do this kind of thing whilst here," he told his boyfriend. "My Dad might be tolerant of the whole thing but I doubt he'll appreciate a display of it."

"I understand," Naruto nodded. "Keep the lovey dovey stuff to ourselves."

He winked at Sasuke and headed off to the kitchen, leaving Sasuke to enter the living room. His father and brother were seated there, having a conversation with the TV on in the background.

"I'll put your gifts under the tree," Sasuke told them and they nodded in response, leaving Sasuke to admire the wonderfully decorated tree in the corner of the room by the window. His mother prided herself in making sure her tree always looked fantastic- this year, it was red and gold. Big and fluffy tinsel of both colours streamed around the tree, with baubles shaped like snowflakes hanging on the branches that were lightly dusted with lamenta. Coloured flashing lights ran around the green and candy canes hung on the edges of some of the branches. Sasuke snatched one up with a grin, looking up at the top of the tree. No matter how many times the decorations changed, the Angel in a red velvet outfit was always on the tree top every year- this year was no exception.

He knelt down and opened the bag he had bought with him, pulling out his family's gifts and placing them with the other ones around the bottom of the tree. As he reached to the back of the tree to place one down, his hand connected with something warm and furry.

Startled, he jumped back, frowning and getting further to the floor to look under the tree. A set of yellow eyes stared back at him, blinking slowly as though the owner had been awoken from sleep.

"Why is there a _cat_ under the tree?" Sasuke called to his father.

"Your mother," came the tired response. "She wanted one. She wouldn't shut up about it so I got her one."

"Oh."

Sasuke continued to stare at the cat as the cat stared back, eventually yawning and standing up. It crawled out from under the tree, rubbing up against Sasuke's outstretched hand. She was white as snow with dark paws, tail and face- a Siamese, he realised.

"Her name's Classic," his father called again. "She's a year old, apparently. We got her from a rescue center- someone found her wandering the streets and took her there."

Classic purred and rubbed up against Sasuke once last time before scampering off in search of what Sasuke assumed would be food. He shook his head to clear the confusion before getting to his feet and joining his brother on the sofa.

"How have you been?" Itachi asked as he sat down, eyes clearly concerned.

"I've been good," Sasuke told him, silently feeling rather loved that day. "You?"

"Yeah, I'm alright. Bit of a hectic drive down yesterday with all the traffic, but alright otherwise. I'm sorry I couldn't collect you guys on the way- I got coerced into giving some people from University a lift down this way."

"It's alright," Sasuke waved a hand at him. "It was quite easy getting down. Since we got on at the top of the line we were able to get seats at least, which is more than can be said for most people from the second stop onwards."

"I'll get us a drink," Fugaku told them once they quieted, standing and heading to the drinks cabinet in the opposite corner of the room to the Christmas tree. "What are you boys having?"

"Oh, no alcohol," Sasuke declined, shaking his head. "Just lemonade or something will be fine."

"Same here," Itachi said. "I'll have a drink later- it's a bit early for me."

Their father sighed softly, pouring himself a shot of whisky and holding it up to them in a toast. "It's Christmas," he declared. "There's no too early or too late for a small drink."

He put the shot down by his chair and left the room, muttering something about cold sodas in the fridge. Sasuke smiled slightly as he felt a hand on his shoulder once the door was closed, and turned to see the concerned eyes of his brother.

"It's nice to see you looking so happy," Itachi told him. "Really."

Sasuke shrugged awkwardly, the hand falling from his shoulder as he did so. "I was happy before you know."

"But you're _happier_ now, right?"

"Of course."

"Well then," Itachi replied as if that was all the answer he needed.

They looked up as the door clicked open again and their father re-entered, holding two cans of lemonade. He handed them over, still looking unimpressed at their choices.

"Your mother's hugging Naruto and crying," he told them with a sigh. "And she's telling him 'life will be better now'."

"Oh," Sasuke replied bluntly, knowing she'd somehow pulled a detail of Naruto's past out of him and unsure of what to say to that.

"So tell me about him," Fugaku prompted, sitting back down and looking over at Sasuke expectantly. "He's rather a mystery to us, isn't he?"

"His parents died when he was young," Sasuke explained after a moment. "And he's had a pretty rough time the past… Well, I'm not entirely sure. The past year at least."

"I see," Fugaku answered with a nod. "I'd say his luck changed when he met you, then."

"Yes," Sasuke nodded in agreement, not willing to explain just how true that was. "You could say that."

"And you trust each other?"

Sasuke nodded again. "Yes."

"And… You make each other happy?"

"…I hope so, yes."

"Well then," Fugaku replied, picking up the shot he'd poured earlier and holding it in another toast. "That's all that matters. And you will be pursuing a University course?"

"Yeah. I still don't know what yet."

"That's a start, son. What about Naruto?"

Sasuke shrugged slightly. "I'm not entirely sure. He sounded interested in perhaps joining me on that, but he's also not sure what he'd like to do."

"Oxford has a lot of good courses," Itachi hinted, nudging his brother's side.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at that. "I doubt either of us could get into Oxford."

"Don't give me that, you had excellent grades before you abandoned education," Itachi protested.

The conversation was interrupted by Naruto poking his head around the door, giving them a beaming smile. Sasuke smiled back- though less enthusiastically.

"Mikoto wanted me to tell you guys dinner will be ready in about an hour," he told them. "And that she has an early gift to exchange to you Mr. Uchiha since 'she was given Classic so early'."

Fugaku sighed at that. "Women, I swear. Tell her there's no need."

"She also told me you'd say that and that she 'didn't care, she was going to do it anyway'."

Fugaku sighed again, getting up. "I'll speak to her myself then."

He headed out of the room, continuing to mutter to himself. Itachi looked between both Naruto and Sasuke and tactfully followed, leaving them both alone once again.

"Eh, Sasuke," Naruto grinned, pointing above him. "I believe that's mistletoe in the doorway above me."

"It would seem so, yes," Sasuke agreed, noticing the sly grin his boyfriend was giving him. "What's your point?"

"My _point_ is that I believe there's a tradition involving mistletoe and people who stand under it," Naruto continued innocently.

"There is?" Sasuke asked, also feigning ignorance. "And what would that be?"

"It means you have to come and kiss me."

"Oh, I _see_! I thought it was if people crossed paths beneath it that they had to kiss."

Naruto pouted at that, pointing up at the aforementioned mistletoe and pouting. "Shut up and _kiss_ me, Sasuke!"

Sasuke got up, smiling and heading over to the blond in the doorway. One quick glance around showed them they had some privacy, so he gently locked their lips, brushing a cold hand across Naruto's warm cheek as he did so.

"Merry Christmas," he uttered as they broke apart, Naruto leaning his head on Sasuke's shoulder as they did so.

"Mm," Naruto responded. "Merry Christmas."

-.-.-

_Author's Note: Yeah, it's a cliché ending XD It's Christmas Eve and I'm hosting this year, so I'm doing some early cooking and preparing my house and stuff today so I'm short on time._

_Regardless, it's done! Finally! Thank you all so much for reading, and Merry Christmas to you all!_


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